Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The issue could go before Maryland voters in November.
Facing pressure to take a stand, President Barack Obama on Wednesday said he supports same-sex marriage. In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, Obama (D) described his “evolution” on the issue through talks with friends, and reflection on military personnel and members of his own staff who, he said, “are not able to commit themselves in a marriage,” adding that “at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.” Excerpts of the interview are scheduled to appear on ABC’s World News with Diane Sawyer on Wednesday evening. The full interview is scheduled to appear on ABC’s Good Morning America on Thursday morning. Gov…
Sunday, May 6, 2012
The run-up to the weekend led to more grumbling about the transit agency. Was it warranted?
This weekend was supposed to be a big one for getting out and about in and around DC. The Caps, the Nats and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer were all in town on Saturday, along with the usual complement of springtime tourists. And then there was the usual track maintenance on Metrorail. With trains running once every 24 minutes on the Red Line from 10 a.m. Friday through close on Sunday, Metro advised riders to add 20 minutes to their travel time. Transit advocates asked for a reprieve. No can do, a Metro spokewoman said. “For many, it's getting to the point that Metro is just unusable during weekends and even during off-peak service on weekdays,” Unsuck DC Metro wrote Friday. “It's as if Metro is thinking construction must go on, riders …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Facebook executives announced the new feature Tuesday morning on Good Morning America encouraging its 900 million users to let others know if they are organ donors, according to a Washington Post report.
You might be familiar with the tiny heart on driver's licenses marking the license's owner as an organ donor. Now, you might find the tiny heart on Facebook, too. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced the social networking giant added the ability to both register as an organ donor and demonstrate it in your profile on ABC's "Good Morning America" Tuesday morning. The new initiative, which encourages Facebook's 900 million users to let others know they are organ donors, was motivated by Zuckerberg's relationship with Apple's late co-founder, Steve Jobs, and Zuckerberg's girlfriend, according to The Washington Post. The two each encouraged Zuckerberg to use Facebook as a means for spreading social awareness. Facebook's FAQ …
Friday, April 27, 2012
MoCo officials want the Maryland Court of Appeals ruling overturned.
Earlier this week Montgomery County law enforcement officials called on Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a Maryland Court of Appeals decision that bars police officers from taking DNA samples from a defendant charged with a crime. So we want to know what you think. Is taking DNA from a defendant an invasion of privacy or is a good tool to help law enforcement?
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
A New York Times article explores the era of the $250 baseball bat.
Have you bought a baseball glove for your Little Leaguer lately? Did you pay more than $100 for it? How about a $250 bat? A New York Times story headlined "Big Price Tags Attached to Even the Littlest Leagues," looks at the big business of equipping youngsters for participation in youth baseball and softball leagues, quoting those costs and more. "A batting helmet protects tiny heads for $39.99," the Times reports. "A pair of Nike Jordan Black Cat cleats will make your child fast and fashionable at $51.99 until he or she outgrows them." So what do you think? Has the cost of bats and gloves taken our kids too far from the simpler days of sandlot and playground ballgames? Or have you had better luck finding more modestly-priced equipment …
Monday, April 23, 2012
Panel should also consider the process as part of its charge, group says.
Editor's note: The Rockville City Council does not meet tonight. The council's next meeting is April 30. The following letter was submitted to the council and presented during Citizens' Forum at last week's meeting. The letter addresses the council's move to form a commission to review the city's charter, with a focus on the size and terms of the mayor and council members and the timing of city elections. Get daily and breaking news email updates from Rockville Patch by signing up for newsletters here. The testimony was testimony was signed and submitted by Temperance Blalock, Peter Mork, Doug Reimel, Art Stigile, Alan Frankle, Virginia Onley and Roald Schrack, members the Rockville Community Coaltion executive commitee, and Theresa Defino…
Monday, April 16, 2012
Stigile: 'Reasonable people can disagree' on Pumphrey parking.
Is it impossible in this city to have a rational discussion about public policy issues without having someone launch an attack on the messenger? In a March 22 posting on Patch, Councilmember Moore encouraged residents to speak out at a public hearing on the Pumphrey parking lot. It was a serious article about a serious issue—whether the current Mayor and Council would honor the approval given by the previous council or would pull the rug out from under Pumphrey Funeral Home, after it had incurred more than $100,000 in planning and legal costs based on the previous approval. Reasonable people can disagree about whether a parking lot should be constructed in an historic district. There are good arguments on both sides of the issue. But …
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The county school board is reconsidering a policy allowing nonprofits to distribute fliers in schools.
County schools are the staging ground this week for a debate between gay rights advocates and a group saying they can help those who don't want to be gay. Both sides of the debate have used schools to spread their messages under a Montgomery County Public Schools policy allowing nonprofits to submit fliers for distribution four times a year. Now, the county school board is reviewing the policy and could bar nonprofits from distributing fliers through schools, The Gazette reported this week. Should the Board of Education allow nonprofits to distribute fliers through county schools? Or are students' book bags not the proper way for organizations to spread their messages?
Monday, April 9, 2012
There is no dearth of golf courses in Montgomery County.
Rockville, Potomac, Chevy Chase and Bethesda are teaming up to find the best public golf course in our Readers' Choice contest. It's easy to participate: Simply vote for your favorite place in the poll below. Choose from the following places: Play other public courses in Montgomery County? Weigh in on Laytonsville, Little Bennett, Poolesville and Rattlewood, and Sligo Creek, Hampshire Greens and Northwest. The winners of each poll will go head-to-head next week for the title of Best Public Golf Course in Montgomery County. Be sure to click the links and review the courses in our community directory.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Councilman: 'Remind us that Pumphrey's is a valued neighbor.'
Rockville's Mayor and Council are holding a public hearing this Monday night, March 26, on whether to reverse the City's approval of the Pumphrey Funeral Home parking lot. This battle is not lost. Your Mayor and Council deeply value the input we receive from citizens at our public hearings. You would be amazed by the effect an outpouring of public opinion can have. I encourage you to sign up for the hearing and make your voice heard. It's polite to send an e-mail to clerk@rockvillemd.gov, call 240-314-8280, or send a fax to 240-314-8289 to sign up to speak, but even if you don't sign up, you can still show up Monday night and you will be heard. You can even make your voice heard before Monday: Post this article on Facebook, tweet it, or …
Jeff Hawkins
7:45 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012
LOL Thanks Joe Biden.......the gift that just keeps on giving! more ›