Hunters’ Unplanned Renovations
It was just before 9:30 p.m. on a snowy Sunday night at Hunters Bar and Grill in Potomac Village. In the pub, no one was sitting at the table closest to the front window, and Fred Berman was sitting with his wife and daughter at a table between there and the bar. Then there was a huge explosion as a car drove through the front wall, smashing through glass, brick wall and tables. “I thought I was dead,” said Fred Berman, who owns the restaurant with his brother Murray. “Somebody drove a car through our window and then it went out as fast as it came in.”
3 Minutes Matter
Three minutes of advocacy could make a difference. For years, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission has said it needs a new water intake pipe in the center of the river. “Water quality in the middle of the river is much more stable,” said Doug Brinkman, an engineer who testified for WSSC before the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday, March 13. The current intake on the shoreline is “adversely impacted by its location on the Potomac River shoreline,” he said. “Especially during storm events, sediments and debris, particularly from Watts Branch, cause source water quality to change dramatically, and affect the plant operations,” according to WSSC.
On CBS: Chicken Broadcasting System?
Bill Geist, host of CBS Sunday Morning, came to Potomac on Monday, March 10, to interview Tyler Phillips and Diana Samata, owners of RentaCoop.com, a business that rents egg-laying hens and everything needed to gather eggs. The segment is scheduled to air on Sunday morning, March 23 at 9 a.m.
EN Bistro and Sushi Opens in the Village
The word EN in Japanese means destiny — and it seems the fate of EN Bistro and Sushi is to bring the freshest of sushi, sashimi, Japanese, Chinese and Thai food to Potomac residents. With the freshness and quality of his sushi and menu items, well-known Montgomery County sushi chef and restaurateur Billy Ye is already making his mark on the Potomac restaurant scene.Located just behind the Verizon store in the Potomac Village Shopping Center (near Tally Ho and next to Big Wheel Bikes), the space has been built out into a Japanese bistro, complete with a kimono, once owned by a famous Japanese movie actor. The kimono was sent to Ye by his mother many years ago — and he has been waiting to find the just right spot for hanging it.
Two Days' Difference
On Thursday, March 6, birders (left) bundled in many layers braved below-freezing temperatures at Riley's Lock in Potomac to look out at 1,000 water birds, many of them unusual to the upper Potomac River. Two days later, with temperatures in the 60s and sunny weather on Saturday, March 8 providing a welcome contrast to ice, snow and low temperatures near zero just a few days before, many people in Potomac took to the outdoors, like this stand-up paddle boarder (right) on the Potomac River at Riley's Lock. With water temperature in the river at 41 degrees, however, the wetsuit was essential.
C&O Canal Trust, C&O Canal National Historical Park Receive Award
Canal Quarters, a program that preserves and provides public use of historic lockkeepers’ houses along the 184.5-mile Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal, received the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s Chairman’s Award for Achievement in Historic Preservation in a Capitol Hill ceremony on March 7.
Country Club Manager Honored for Leadership
Bradley Cance, general manager and chief operating officer of the Bethesda Country Club was recently honored by his alma mater, Michigan State University with his selection into the 2013 Hall of Fame "Class of Mentors." Cance was chosen for the coaching and mentoring support he has given to students from the university. He has counseled and guided interns, and assisted future club managers in their searches for employment within the industry. He has also been one of the top two or three alumni in Destination Auction donations each year for 10 years. Cance received the award at the university’s annual Celebration of Leadership, held on Nov. 9, 2013 in New York City.
Slates Set for Primary Elections
The filing deadline for candidates who plan to run for their party’s nominations was Feb. 25, and many races for local and state offices are now set. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 24. Currently there are no elected Republicans from Montgomery County, so in many cases the winners of the Democratic primary on June 24 will be the likely winner in November. Here is a list of candidates in some offices representing the Potomac area.
Welcoming New Animal Services and Adoption Center
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, County Council President Craig Rice, Council members Phil Andrews, Nancy Navarro, and Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger celebrated the completion of the new Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center at a preview opening reception on Friday evening, Feb. 28, it was standing room only as visitors toured the new space.
Gals On and Off the Green Swings into Action
Women's golf is growing by leaps and bounds, particularly in the Potomac area with all its public and private golf courses. However, finding that perfect outfit, bag, shoes, socks — or gift items for a golfing buddy can be a challenge. A new store has opened in Chevy Chase to address just this need. Gals on and off the Green provides what every woman golfer needs to look smart while teeing off, putting and chipping. The store also carries tennis apparel as well as stylish comfortable fashions that transition from day to evening, resort wear, bags and accessories. Jackie Sorrenti, founder and owner said, "We want to help women look and feel better about themselves. We do not believe women should buy something simply because ‘it fits’ but rather because it fits well and is stylish and make you feel great when you wear it. We carry something for everyone. We offer conservative to fashion-forward clothing in sizes 0 - 22 from a variety of world-wide designers.” Sorrenti launched her first Gals on and off the Green store in Pittsburgh where she and her husband were residing. Formerly an information technology professional, she decided to listen to her entrepreneurial instincts and drew up business plans for a number of different types of retail stores. Once she settled on a women's golf store, she approached friends in business to read her business plan. With their advice, she re-wrote her plan, found funding and opened the doors of her shop in 2004.
Fifth Graders Create Animated Movie
While many movie lovers will be watching to see who wins the Oscars in Hollywood this weekend; a world premiere movie debuted here in Potomac. Ninety-eight Beverly Farms Elementary School fifth graders and their parents sat down to watch an animated film on Monday, Feb. 24. Their eyes were glued to the screen with good reason: they created the film themselves. The film is titled “The Extraordinary Fifth-Grade Field Trip," a 14-minute film composed of 6,438 drawings. Each second of the movie equals 10 drawings. Inspired by their reading of adventure stories and tall tales, the students gave free rein to their imagination as each came up with his or her own animated field trip adventure. Working with artist-in-residence Leila Cabib, each student designed a storyboard illustrating the key scenes of their animated segment and then created and filmed numerous sequential drawings to bring the story to life.
A Purr-fect Marriage
Friends of Montgomery County Animals (FMCA) found the purr-fect marriage of volunteerism and the ardor to support the humane treatment of animals when the organization was founded in 1974. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, FMCA continues to live its motto, “Dignity for Animals.” In matrimony, the 40th is known as the Ruby Anniversary from the belief that the precious stone possesses an eternal inner flame and symbolizes passion. With the same zeal, FMCA’s volunteers devote hours of focus and care fostering animals until they can find their “forever homes.” The group also conducts cat adoption clinics on Saturdays at the Germantown PetSmart and operates a trap/neuter/return/place (TNR/TNP) initiative to help reduce animal overpopulation in feral colonies in Montgomery County.
Film ‘Sukkah City’ Comes to Area
Curiosity is an innate quality that drives Jason Hutt. Ever since he was a young child, he has been fascinated with figuring out how things work and understanding the world around him. This inquisitive streak has led him to select film subjects that grab him because they are intriguing and exciting. "With all my films, I am just trying to create a portrait and tell a story that other's haven't seen before," he said. The Potomac native has directed, filmed and produced three documentaries that portray "unique cultures and innovative individuals found within the contemporary Jewish landscape and beyond." His latest film, "Sukkah City" will screen on March 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the JCC of Greater Washington in Rockville, at noon at the Library of Congress on March 7 and also at noon at the DCJCC on March 9. Hutt's films have screened around the world and been broadcast on networks including PBS, BBC and YES, Israel.
Potomac Pets
’The Potomac Almanac presents it's winter/spring pet edition, featuring readers' pet photos.
News Brief: Election Judges Needed
Montgomery County’s Board of Elections is seeking registered voters to serve as election judges at polling places for the Gubernatorial Primary Election to be held on June 24. In accordance with the Election Code, to serve in this paid position on Election Day or during Early Voting, an election judge must be registered to vote in the State of Maryland. They must also be able to speak, read, and write the English language, and while acting as a judge must not hold, or be a candidate for, public or party office. In addition, election judges may not serve as a campaign manager for a candidate or as treasurer for any campaign financial entity.