Editor's Blog

This announcement has come across the wires from Frankie Blackburn, the executive director of IMPACT Silver Spring. As a graduate of the IMPACT program, I highly recommend it to anyone interested in making a difference in our community.
—ed

IMPACT Silver Spring is now accepting applications for the eighth year of its training program, Neighborhood IMPACT 2007, formerly called Community Empowerment Program (CEP). Neighborhood IMPACT is a unique leadership development and community action program offered to Silver
Spring renters.

The goal of Neighborhood IMPACT is to increase the ability of 8-10 renters and 3-4 community workers of diverse backgrounds and cultures to build community within their rental complex and surrounding neighborhood.

For instance, a past participant, Rosa Sanchez, is applying her communication and negotiation skills to reach out to her neighbors and improve living conditions. Rosa's efforts have resulted in new parking lot lighting and a renewed year long lease, at current rates, for her family. Another graduate of Neighborhood IMPACT, Delilah Marrow, felt compelled to act after she learned that residents in a nearby senior apartment complex were struggling from a flood caused by faulty equipment. Nine months later, her resident team is working with apartment managers to develop an evacuation plan.

As IMPACT begins its application process, we request your help in identifying renters and community workers that you think are good candidates for Neighborhood IMPACT 2007. If you know renters that are interested in pursuing change within their rental complex and could benefit from new skills and a community support network, then please reply to this e-mail with their contact information so that IMPACT may follow up with them.

Also, IMPACT invites you to learn more about the program by attending the "Neighborhood IMPACT 2007 Information Session" on Monday, June 25, 2007 from 7-9pm at 1313 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD.

To find out more about IMPACT Silver Spring, follow this link www.impactsilverspring.org

Frankie Blackburn
Executive Director
Impact Silver Spring

Posted by EB at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After you watch the "Cleaning the Green" video, check out "Showing Off on the Silver Spring Turf" uploaded to YouTube by blademonki (Ryan).

(BTW, Blademonki, feel free to contact us so that we can attribute you with more than a screen name.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUiE41wBBFs&NR=1

Posted by EB at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out this fun video and blog entry from Richard Jaeggi—about cleaning the astroturf on Ellsworth Drive.
—ed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41ltzLBskJI

A few weeks ago my family was lamenting the horribly dirty state of Silver Spring's downtown green space, AKA, the Turf. I was complaining about my failed attempts to persuade local officials to clean it.

My daughter, uninterested in sharing my high dudgeon, made a brilliant suggestion. "Why don't we clean it ourselves?"

In a stroke: from powerlessness to power. Of course we could clean it ourselves— and have a good time to boot. So we teamed up with our friends the Karn/McDonagh's, put out a call for assistance on the list serve, and showed up on Saturday with brooms and trash bags.

As if by divine intervention, on the very Friday before our clean up, the Red Shirt Brigade was moved to do a thorough clean up of the turf, which made our jobs much easier. Big thanks to the Red Shirts.

This movie is a little vignette of that pleasant afternoon on the Turf.

Posted by EB at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ten years ago, Takoma Park and Hong Kong unified on the same date (July 1, 1997). The People's Republic of Takoma Park unified into Montgomery County. Hong Kong unified into the People's Republic of China.

As if to mark the decade anniversary, Mr. Simon Lee of the Democratic Party of Hong Kong visited Takoma Park on June 12 to learn more about our municipal government. Mr. Lee and his party are advocating for greater political strength for the local district representatives in Hong Kong.

He will be visiting Burlington, Vermont; Jackson, Mississippi; Lincoln, Nebraska and San Francisco on his three-week tour of the United States. He is participating in the International Visitor Leadership Program of the U.S. Department of State. Mr. Lee met with City staff and with Councilmember Terry Seamens.

He was particularly interested in learning about where municipalities get revenue from and in Takoma Park's Council-Manager form of government.

—Source: Takoma Park Press Release

Posted by EB at 7:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The June Diversity Concert Series continues this coming week at the Gazebo on Carroll Avenue. On Thursday, June 21 from 6-8pm, join Jaqui MacMillan with the Drum For Joy Orchestra in their premier performance and participate in a Community Drum Circle.

The series is organized by the Old Takoma Business Association/Main Street Takoma with the Institute of Musical Traditions and support from the Takoma Foundation and the Takoma Park Arts and Humanities Commission.

Posted by EB at 7:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The next meeting of tenant associations and tenants interested in forming new associations will take place this coming Wednesday, June 20, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Takoma Park Community Center.

Topics to be discussed will include tenants' concerns about the condominium conversion process and possible changes in the rent stabilization law. Those interested in attending may contact Linda Walker at 301-891-7222.

Posted by EB at 7:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Grand Opening celebration of the new Crossroads Farmers Market is this coming Wednesday, June 20 at 6:00 pm.

The market—located at 7676 New Hampshire Avenue—features a variety of locally grown vegetables, fruit, herbs, flowers, baked goods, freshly squeezed juices and ethnic foods.

The market will be open every Wednesday through November 14 from 3:00 to 7:00 pm.

Posted by EB at 7:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Low income renters and home owners may be eligible for a tax credit. To find out if you qualify, file an application with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. To obtain an application, you can call the State of Maryland at 1-800-944-7403. Or you can access the application directly on their website at
www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/taxcredits.html.

Or call Linda Walker at (301) 891-7222.

The deadline for filing this year is September 1, 2007.

Posted by EB at 6:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From the Takoma Park Department of Housing and Community Development:

The Montgomery County Planning Board seeks applicants for a community advisory committee to work with its planners as they craft a plan for the proposed Metro Purple Line, slated to connect Bethesda and New Carrollton.

The advisory committee will help planners analyze the transit line's potential impacts on the community. Called a functional master plan, the resulting product will lay out the Planning Department's recommendations for the type of transit—light rail or rapid bus—alignment, and station locations in Montgomery County.

The Purple Line functional master plan will provide a framework for the Montgomery County Planning Board to react quickly to the MTA's recommendations for the alignment of either light rail or rapid bus transit, expected by summer 2008.

If you are interested in serving on the advisory committee, please submit your letter of interest by Friday, July 13, 2007 to Tom Autrey, Transportation Planning Division thomas.autrey@mncppc-mc.org, Fax: (301) 495-495-1302.

Posted by EB at 6:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)