ALL MONTH
Fall is officially here and Halloween is in the air! Here are two great guides to the area pumpkin patches, farms and pick-your-owns:

Washington Post Fall Harvest Guide

About.com DC Pumpkin Patch Guide

Our Kids Fall Festival Guide (Thanks Amy!)

FRIDAY

Just for Kids Halloween Party at FunFit
6:30-9:30pm, Rockville. Drop the kids off for their own kids-only bash while you have a date night. Only $20 per child, $17 per sibling age 3-10 years.

SATURDAY

Brookside Gardens Honey Harvest Festival
10am-4pm, Wheaton, FREE. The day honey harvest festival features live beekeeping demos, free HaagenDaz Vanilla Honey Bean ice cream, the American Honey Princess, Maryland honeybee researchers and more to celebrate The Maryland State Beekeepers Association's 100th birthday. NASA and USDA experts will be on hand to discuss the relationship between climate change and honeybees and local efforts to stop the disappearance of these important insects.

Truck Touch at Suburban Nursery School - Kids climb all over the vehicles
11am-3pm, Bethesda, $3 per person, kids under 2 are free. A toddler's dream come true: Exciting vehicles of all shapes and sizes for kids to climb and touch

Forensic Family Discovery Event at the National Museum of Health & Science
2-3pm, Georgia Avenue DC/MD border, FREE. This event in the Forensic Family Discovery Series teaches older kids about DNA using delicious strawberries. Kids can try their hands at DNA extraction and learn about DNA analysis.

MONDAY - Columbus Day

Evergreen Montessori School Open House
9-10:30am, Wheaton. Check out this mid-year open house if you are considering a Montessori experience for your child age 2.5-elementary.

Free classes at the Hot Mama Fitness Studio
10:45am, 12:30pm, 1pm, Bethesda. Try complimentary workout classes in Pre/Post Natal Ballet Sculpt, Hip Mama Bellydance and Self Defense on your day off.Thanks for reading A Parent in Silver Spring via feed. You rock.

October is bursting with fresh flavor at Strathmore! The performing and fine arts center is offering loads of family programs all month long, and one lucky APISS-reading family will receive FOUR tickets to the below performance of their choice! Leave a comment before midnight Wednesday, October 15 to throw your hat in the ring. I'll announce the randomly-drawn winner on Thursday.

Strathmore also has a gift for all APISS readers: 30% off tickets to Carnival of Creatures: A Scary Family Concert. Scroll down for the description of the spooky, animal-y performance that should not be missed. Additionally, be sure to check out the free exhibit Understanding Diversity Through the Arts Exhibition at the Mansion at Strathmore, hours below.

PERFORMANCES

Saturday, October 18, 12-3pm
Beat Box Master Class
Mansion at Strathmore
An interactive class teaching the vocal acrobatics of a capella geared toward high school and college students – but also open to adults!

Sunday, October 19 1pm
The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley
Music Center, Concert Hall
Elementary school kids everywhere have had fun mailing their “Flat Stanleys” to friends and family all of the world for school projects. Now this globe-trotting favorite comes to life in a full-scale musical production. See what fun Stanley has as he travels the world learning about different cultures – all in a little postal envelope!

Sunday, October 19 4-5:30pm
Strathmore Family Sings with David Roth
Music Center, Education Room 402
Back by popular demand, singer-songwriter David Roth leads families in a fun, playful, participatory sing-along. Recommended for ages 6 and up.

Sunday, October 26, 1pm
Carnival of Creatures: A Scary Family Concert
Featuring the Post-Classical Ensemble
Strathmore Music Center Concert Hall
Imaginary banshees, tigers, swans, plus a real live boa constrictor amuse and playfully frighten children in this concert filled with a menagerie of classical music about animals just in time for Halloween! Bring the kids in costume and get ready to shriek and howl in delight!
SPECIAL OFFER: 30% off Tickets, online only!
Use Source Code 972 when signing on to your existing www.strathmore.org account, or when creating a new one. You will be taken to the event calendar. Choose the Carnival of Creatures concert on October 26. The ticket prices shown will already include the 30% discount. Sorry, not valid on previously purchased tickets.

To purchase tickets to any of these programs, call (301) 581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org

FREE EXHIBIT

All month until October 31
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10am–4pm
Wednesday, 10am–9 pm
Saturday, 10 am–3 pm, Closed Sunday
Understanding Diversity Through the Arts Exhibition
Mansion, Invitational Gallery - FREE
Kids get inspired when they see the accomplishments of their peers. Come and view this exhibition of amazing art created by middle school students from Montgomery County Public Schools. All exhibitions are free and open to the public during regular Mansion hours.

Strathmore trippy photo courtesy zachstern on Flickr
Flat stanley photo courtesy carf on FlickrThanks for reading A Parent in Silver Spring via feed. You rock.

It is finally decision time for the Purple Line transit/trail project after all of these years of waiting for the CCT in Silver Spring. The wrong decision now could forever dash hopes of completing the CCT.

The MTA will release the Purple Line Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on October 17, 2008. Four public hearings will be held in November: College Park
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
5-9PM
UMD Ritchie Coliseum
Rossborough Lane & Route 1

Chevy Chase
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
5-9PM
National 4H Conference Center
7100 Connecticut Avenue

New Carrollton
Saturday, November 15, 2008h
11AM-3PM
New Carrollton Municipal Center
6016 Princess Garden Parkway

Silver Spring/Takoma Park
Saturday, November 22, 2008
1-5PM
Montgomery College, Falcon Hall
7600 Takoma Avenue, Takoma Park

Written comments can be submitted for the record anytime during the 90 day public comment period that starts on October 17. In January the Governor will select the Purple Line alternative that will go forward.

This is crunch time for the future CCT. Purple Line opponents continue to show no credible plan to complete the CCT. A "no build" decision will mean the CCT will never be completed through Silver Spring neighborhoods to connect to the Metropolitan Branch Trail.

This is the future of the CCT in Silver Spring
under a Purple Line "No Build" decision.

A decision for a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) option will result in buses running alongside the trail with a high frequency. While the proposed hybrid buses are cleaner than the old diesel buses, they would still emit significant exhaust fumes near trail users. The "low investment" BRT option also will not provide the CCT with a safe crossing of Colesville Road into the Silver Spring Transit Center and to the Metropolitan Branch Trail.

Only a decision for an LRT (Light Rail Transit) "medium investment" or "high investment" option will complete the CCT into Silver Spring as a good off road trail with grade separated crossings at most or all of the busy roadways, and will also have quiet, emission free light rail vehicles running alongside the trail instead of buses.

A typical Purple Line/Trail profile
at the Columbia Country Club.

Please speak out for completing the CCT with Purple Line light rail. Testify at one of the hearings or send in a letter during the public comment period. This is our best opportunity to finish the trail and to build quality transit between Bethesda and Silver Spring.

I will post links to the Purple Line DEIS and information on how to submit written comments when they are available. Join me on the bike the future CCT Nov. 1 ride to investigate and discuss the Purple Line/CCT issues.

Come out on Saturday, Nov. 1 and see for yourself what is under the Purple Line "Save the Trail" vs. "Finish the Trail" debate. The critical 90 day public comment period for the Purple Line transit starts October 17, and cyclists need to weigh in on the importance of protecting AND completing the CCT with the Purple Line. You need to see plans for the CCT in both Bethesda and Silver Spring neighborhoods to understand what is needed.

The ride will include the entire future CCT
from downtown Bethesda to downtown Silver Spring

Meet at 9 a.m. Nov. 1 in Bethesda at the start of the Georgetown Branch Trail (future CCT) at the north east corner of Bethesda Ave. and Woodmont Ave., across Woodmont Ave. from Barnes and Noble. We will ride to downtown Silver Spring along (mostly) the Georgetown Branch Trail, with several stops and short detours into little known corners.

We will investigate trail design issues alongside the Purple Line in Bethesda and trail alignment issues along the CSX railroad corridor into Silver Spring (pictured at right). We will then continue on south Silver Spring streets to see plans for the Metropolitan Branch Trail in Montgomery County to the D.C. boundary. We will return to Bethesda via. Rock Creek Park for a 13 mile long ride. See the Gmap Pedometer Route map.

The ride is partially on the crushed stone Georgetown Branch Trail, and also on streets in Silver Spring. This ride is not for cyclists who do not feel comfortable riding on streets with moderate traffic. The ride pace will be slow to D.C. because of the stops along the way, but the pace can pick up on the return - total trip time will be about 2 1/2 hours.

RSVP or ask questions about the ride at phyilla1@gmail.com

You Should NOT buy if you . . . .

• Believe that home prices always go up.
• Don’t have emotional tolerance for market declines.  
• Know that the interest rates will continue to significantly decline.
• View the house primarily as an investment, rather then a place to live.
• Don’t have a substantial (20%) down payment and excellent credit scores. 
• Can’t afford all monthly costs, associated with home ownership.  
• Are not certain if you can stay in the house for at least 5 years.

You should buy if  . . . . .

• You want a nice tax break/deduction when April 15th comes along every year.
• You want a nice place to live that you can call your own.  Stability is important to you because of schools, commute or other reasons.
• You know that home prices have declined in many neighborhoods, and you could pay less now for the same house you had your eye on several years ago.
• The interest rates are low, but could increase.

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So the stock market has completely collapsed, unemployment is growing, the number of foreclosures is increasing rapidly... what does this all mean for Silver Spring? Will the Fillmore project continue as planned? (Has it ever?) I don't care what zoning hurdles it recently cleared or if the Sarah-Palin-loving Lees are ready to proceed - I could easily see Live Nation pulling out now, citing Sligohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201229508558436514silverspringsingular@gmail.com

As I wrote in the D'Back on Wednesday, we're gearing up for mid-semester reviews at the School of Architecture, so JUTP might be a little quiet through the start of the coming week. In the meantime:

- The Going Out Gurus give us a preview of the Montgomery Cinema 'N' Drafthouse, opening next month in the former P&G Theatres at Wheaton Plaza. From the looks of their new marquee, the Drafthouse is definitely gonna class up Downtown Wheaton, and they definitely could use it.

- The Gazette writes about Dawson House Concerts, which feature nationally-touring folk artists at a house in Glenmont. Last weekend, I went a show at a house called Scumbag Nation in Colesville, but it was less folk and more hardcore/emo in a way you can only find in D.C.. There were no fewer than fifty kids packed into a small basement, singing, screaming and moshing, beneath a lone, naked lightbulb hanging from the ceiling, and it was sublime.

East County's always had a strong, locally-grown music scene, with house shows like the Dawsons', the now-gone Death Star and its replacement, The Corpse Fortress as its foundation. I'd say that, when it comes to ambiance, they'd give a Fillmore a real run for its money.

- A ten-year-old Washington City Paper article, "Loco in MoCo," might have coined the term "Silver Sprung," but in a slightly different way than we're used to:
Now, however, just as the county smugly basks in its wealth and power, in its political dominance of Maryland, and in its cultural dominance over metropolitan Washington, bad things are roosting in paradise. . . . The land of Silver Spring has apparently sprung: Edge City has become Edgy City.
The story talks about Montgomery's surprisingly seedy underbelly, from big celebrity scandals to what the then-very-ironic author calls "the Dueling MoCo Theory":
At the Book Alcove in Rockville, a kid behind the counter named Jared leans in close to tell me secrets revealed neither by Montgomery County's maps nor by its streetscape . . . "On this side of the pike [Rockville Pike, which is the side where you are likely sitting right now if you're reading this blog], it's juveniles and punks," he says, looking as if he's spent some time in that category. "Over there, it's the celebrities."Hello, Scumbag Nation. (Remember when people saw "Silver Sprung" and thought it was a typo?)

NEXT WEEK: You will read a story about a musical about the Purple Line. It is coming sooner than ever.

Remember the Montgomery County Fair's Toilet Decorating Contest, sponsored by Best-Hill Services? Out of sponsoring the contest came this father of three's idea to create a toilet that is motorized and used for promoting the business. It premiered at the Kensington Labor Day parade, was featured on the local news and then added to the NBC local news feeds all over the country. And today, well, The Today Show got a kick out of it! You can tell Ann Curry wants a ride.

Let's hear it for our very own Brett Hill of Best-Hill Services, a national celeb and amazing local provider of plumbing and HVAC services! The next time my heater needs service, my kids and I hope to see that cool potty cruising up our street.

Thanks to Becky Hill for the link. Thanks for reading A Parent in Silver Spring via feed. You rock.

Tom Sietsema, revered food critic at The Washington Post, just published his 2008 Dining Guide, and local favorites Nicaro in Silver Spring and Nava Thai in Wheaton are featured.

Brava!

Nicaro Restaurant & Lounge
8229 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring 20910 (301) 588-2867
Happy hour specials Monday-Friday 4-7pm, Monday night tasting menu $30, Tuesday night half price bottles of wine with entrees, Thursday night $6 cocktails

Nava Thai Noodle & Grill (Yelp! Reviews)
11315 Fern Street, Wheaton, MD 20902 (240) 430-0495Thanks for reading A Parent in Silver Spring via feed. You rock.

For my husband and I, it's not truly the fall season until we make a visit to the Cunningham Falls State Park. This Maryland State Park is a beautiful wooded park located off US Route 15 between Frederick and Thurmont in the Catoctin Mountains. This area's main claim to fame is the presence of Camp David. Since we did not have the special invite needed to enter the presidential retreat, we headed to the Falls. The 78 foot high Cunningham Falls are the largest cascading waterfall in Maryland.


There are nine trails ranging from easy to difficult to hike to the waterfall. Maps of the hiking trails are available from the park ranger stations. Here's a complete trail guide.

In our pre-baby days, my husband and I would hike the Cliff Trail. This ¾ mile trail to the falls had us climbing over rocks on the way to the falls. This time we hiked the mile Lower Trail which provides the shortest and easiest access to the waterfall. My 6 year old son really loved exploring the rocky wooded terrain, pointing out the birds or animals he saw. For families that need a stroller or a wheelchair there is a ¼ mile Boardwalk Trail that ends at the base of the waterfall. (Note that the parking lot right by the Boardwalk Trail is open only to vehicles displaying the handicap symbol.)

After exploring the Falls, we ambled over to the beach area at the lake in the Houck Area of the Park. Now that summer is over, we had the place to ourselves. The 44-acre man-made Hunting Creek Lake offers swimming in three designated areas with lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Canoe and paddleboat rentals are available during the summer season. (Directions to Cunningham Falls.)

There is lots more to do in the Thurmont area. The 45th annual Catoctin Colorfest will be held this upcoming weekend, October 11 and 12, 2008. Over 300 arts and crafts will be on display in the town of Thurmont and admission is free! (Directions to the Colorfest.)

Finally, we always end our Thurmont area daytrips with a stop to Catoctin Mountain Orchard . They offer fresh fruits, vegetables, jam and jellies but our favorites for this time of the year are their juicy apples.

Patti Lalley is a native Silver Spring-er and mom to a son in kindergarten. Her interests include finding fun, local activities for elementary school age kids.

Photo courtesy sudama on Flickr and a gracious Wikipedia user
Thanks for reading A Parent in Silver Spring via feed. You rock.

Search Maryland, a great one-stop resource on the web for all things related to Maryland, has named its 2008 Top Blog Awardees. APISS was honored with an honorable mention and is smiling through happy pageant tears. Fab blog awardees especially relevant to parents and DC-area residents include:

Kid Baltimore - things to do with your child in Charm City
On the Red Line - all about life in the Bethesda/Rockville area
Creating a Jubilee County - politics and prose on neighboring Prince Georges County

Other blogs focused on dining and events in Baltimore, Howard County, the Eastern Shore and Frederick would be great to consult for your weekend getaway plans.

Businesses can add their websites to the Search Maryland directory for a fee, but no money was passed between little ol' APISS and SM for the listing of my blog or securing of this major award.

Happy surfing!
Thanks for reading A Parent in Silver Spring via feed. You rock.

Renderings of the proposed Fillmore music hall in Downtown Silver Spring.

Better start lining up for tickets now, kids: the Fillmore's doors will be opening on schedule in 2011. Yesterday, the County Council voted 7-2 to approve a controversial proposal that drastically reduces government oversight for a mixed-use project tied in with the planned music hall on Colesville Road in Downtown Silver Spring. In a statement released yesterday afternoon, County Executive Ike Leggett celebrated the approval of the plan he brokered with Lee Development Group, who's building the Fillmore in exchange for the right to develop land behind it.

"This important economic development project will provide music for a variety of tastes, include significant community use, bring more business to downtown Silver Spring, and result in a net public benefit of $1.6 million a year from the very start," says Leggett, who first proposed the changes. "This is a great deal for Montgomery County."

The new zoning changes apply only to certain projects in the County's three Arts and Entertainment Districts in downtowns Wheaton, Bethesda, and Silver Spring. They give a fifteen-year construction deadline to approved projects and remove some of the Planning Board's ability to negotiate with developers over what and how public uses attached to them are built. Planning Board chairman Royce Hanson criticized the zoning amendments as favoring big developers at the expense of the community's needs.

ALSO:

- A two-car collision yesterday at Flannery Lane and Montvale Drive in Colesville resulted in a shooting, says the Post. Both the victim and attacker know each other, according to Montgomery County police, and none of the victim's injuries are life-threatening.

- As always, check out my weekly column in the Diamondback. This week, I'm talking about "studio culture" and how forcing students off-campus has changed the School of Architecture.

The county council approved two zoning changes that clear the way for Silver Spring's Fillmore music-hall project.

In November I plan to publish a Holiday Gift Guide on A Parent in Silver Spring Reviews. The focus will be great gifts at great values and items that I sincerely love and have personally tested.

I plan on targeting gift items for babies, kids, teens and adults in the under $50 range, with a few select items for the entire family in the over $50 range. Featured items will have snappy descriptions, links, high resolution images, giveaways (for regifting to loved ones!) and coupon codes.

If you have or represent a business that has a website and have a specific product you'd like to be included in the APISS Reviews Holiday Gift Guide, e-mail me.

Photo courtesy mysza831 on FlickrThanks for reading A Parent in Silver Spring via feed. You rock.

This week you and your kids can experience the magic of Disney without flying to Orlando or Orange County, because Disney Parks are coming to us!

On Friday from 11am-2pm, we are all invited to come down to a free event at the Woodrow Wilson Plaza at the Ronald Regan International Trade Center. There kids will receive a massive, eco-friendly Mickey Mouse-shaped balloon and families can learn all about Disney's new promotion in 2009: Disney is offering free admission to guests on birthdays! (And as my family and I experienced Disneyland together in 2007, I can attest that this is a HUGE savings.)

Attendees will also be entered in the sweepstakes for a free trip to DisneyWorld or Disneyland that includes roundtrip airfare, accommodations at a Disney Resorts Hotel and 4 days of park passes for a family of four. Oh, and unlike contests offered by other corporations, families actually win these Disney trips.

Can't make it Friday? The tour moves to Baltimore on Saturday at the Baltimore Marathon Celebration Village at Ravens Stadium. Can't make either event? You can still enter the sweepstakes and receive free admission on your birthday. You can even get a free DVD mailed to you to help you plan your Disney vacay.

If you live elsewhere in the U.S., click here to see when the nationwide Disney tour is in your area.Thanks for reading A Parent in Silver Spring via feed. You rock.

Consultant Kevin Fisher discusses the Burtonsville Community Legacy Plan as board member Eric Luedtke looks on. For more pictures, check out slideshow.

New landscaping and reconfigured parking will save Burtonsville's struggling village center, according to County-hired consultants who presented recommendations for the business district last Wednesday at the monthly East County Citizens Advisory Board meeting. Run-down and lacking a cohesive identity, the village center - strung along Route 198 between Old Columbia Pike and the Burtonsville Bypass - has lost business since the bypass was completed two years ago. While it doesn't suggest any zoning or land-use changes for the village center, the new Burtonsville Community Legacy Plan reflects the desires of local businesses and residents, the planners say.

Following two open forums in March and a charrette - or design workshop - in June, consultants from Rhodeside and Harwell of Alexandria and Basile Baumann Prost Cole and Associates of Annapolis developed several possibilities for how Burtonsville could redevelop. They were then refined into a single concept that reflected the community's desire to preserve existing businesses in Burtonsville and their "strong opposition to residential development," according to Kate Shiflet of BBPC.

Among the consultants' proposals for the short term were widening Route 198 and adding new sidewalks and street trees; reducing the number of driveway entrances along the road and moving most of the parking lots in front of stores to the back; building the Burtonsville Access Road and adding new street connections to enable visitors to travel from shop to shop without going back out on 198; and creating a new community gathering area in front of the Burtonsville Elementary School.

check out the plan and hear what people had to say AFTER THE JUMP . . .

The new plan proposes landscaping, reconfigured parking and a gathering space for Burtonsville. For more pictures, check out this slideshow.

"The recommendations lead more to minimal change," said Kevin Fisher of Rhodeside and Harwell, who noted that businesses would be encouraged to improve their building façades facing 198. "We're not ripping up all the streets, we're not wiping out the buildings, we're improving what's there."

Over the next five to ten years, the consultants suggest relocating signage on routes 198 and 29 to better identify the Burtonsville commercial district to people traveling through the area. They'd also like to see a new road south of Route 198, similar to the proposed access road, that could provide another alternative route for local traffic. A road, Tolson Place, already exists in that area. "It's about providing visitors with an alternative way to shops and dining," said Shiflet.

Some earlier considerations had to be taken out of the final plan. Burying power lines underground was "cost-prohibitive," the consultants said, and installing a landscaped median down the middle of Route 198 would be difficult to do because of the left-turn lanes that are there now. Board member John Thomas pointed out that there weren't any crosswalks shown on the plan, either, and Fisher explained that there are no proposed pedestrian crossings other than the current ones in front of Seibel's restaurant and at Old Columbia Pike, which are a fifth of a mile apart.

A view of Route 198 with improved façades.

Board member Bill Strassberger expressed skepticism about the plan's potential. "I see a lot of moving parts, a lot of people having to get involved," he said. "How do we go from a picture on an easel to making this a reality?"

The next step, explained Roylene Roberts from the Montgomery County Department of Housing, is to apply for Community Legacy funds from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Several years ago, Downtown Silver Spring received $1.8 million from the same program for the ongoing revitalization there, though Roylene Roberts doubts that Burtonsville will get as much funding "because this year they only have $6 million in the pot," she said.

And though the money's coming from the same place, Roberts insisted that concerned residents shouldn't be worried about Burtonsville getting too big for its britches. "This isn't going to be like Downtown Silver Spring or Bethesda," said Roberts, "because that's not what Burtonsville is."

Fisher discusses the plan with concerned residents.

There were some concerns about the planners' suggestion of adding housing to the commercial district. "It doesn't seem appropriate . . . if you're talking about adding housing, like apartments, to add to this congestion at this particular point," said board member Stan Doore. "Because of the County's master plan and the low-density wedge that 198 constitutes, there's no plan for denser housing," points out Stuart Rochester, who sat on a citizens' panel that helped draft the Fairland Master Plan eleven years ago.

Burtonsville resident and children's songwriter Barry Louis Polisar, who attended the charrette in June, liked many of the proposed changes, he said in an e-mail to Just Up The Pike. "It looks like a noble attempt to improve the access to the businesses there, improve the slap-dash look, and make the shopping and restaurants more bicycle and pedestrian friendly."

"The suggestions made are excellent," said board member Eric Luedtke, who also lives in Burtonsville. "I really like the inclusion of the village green, and hope that if built, it will be a gathering place for the community, in the same way that "the turf" was for downtown Silver Spring, but hopefully with a little less trash mixed in."

"There are few places now for those of us who live in Burtonsville to gather," Luedtke said. "This will create that sort of space, and by doing so bring Burtonsville together in a new way. I'm very hopeful that it will help tie together all our suburban bedroom neighborhoods into a more cohesive community."

By Adam Pagnucco, Eric Luedtke and Dan Reed

Recently, an anonymous blog appeared targeting Montgomery County Council Member Mike Knapp. The sole purpose of this blog was to attack Mr. Knapp's character in an effort to discourage him from running for County Executive. We will not do the author a favor by linking to his work. The issue for us is not Mr. Knapp or his fitness for office. Rather, the creation of this blog, which is neither the first nor the last of its kind, calls a question of vital importance to Maryland's blogosphere. And this is our response.

All of us blog under our own names. We do it because we believe what we say. We do it because we are willing to stand behind our words. And we do it because we do not fear accountability from our readers. In fact, transparency and accountability are good for the blogosphere. They are the primary tools by which our still young, and occasionally unruly, medium can be improved.

Unfortunately, our medium is subject to abuse by those who attempt to destroy the reputation of others while hiding behind a veil of anonymity. By spreading incorrect and possibly libelous information, anonymous attack bloggers do a disservice to legitimate bloggers and to the community as a whole.

While we may disagree on some matters, we agree on the fact that these anonymous attackers discredit the blogosphere and political activism as a whole. For the good of our craft, our readers and the public discourse, we the undersigned stand against them and condemn their work. Specifically, the creator of the anonymous blog attacking Mike Knapp should either have the courage to identify himself or herself or have the decency to delete the blog.

Dan Reed is the author of Just Up the Pike. Eric Luedtke is a contributor to Free State Politics. Adam Pagnucco is a contributor to Maryland Politics Watch. As measured by Sitemeter, Just Up the Pike, Free State Politics and Maryland Politics Watch are three of the five most-read blogs in the state of Maryland.

Takoma residents say this proposed development at the Takoma Metro will hurt transit use.

A controversial development at the Takoma Metro will go before the Takoma Park City Council tonight. Local builder EYA has been trying for eight years to build townhouses on Metro-owned land adjacent to the station, which sits on the Maryland/Washington, D.C. boundary. Residents in both jurisdictions have been concerned about the plan, saying that it "fails to enhance transit use and is incompatible with the needs of the greater DC and MD Takoma community." The meeting's tonight at 8pm at the Takoma Park City Hall. For more information, check out the city's website.

East County commuters using the Green Line might see a new travel option with the Brown Line (warning! PDF), a proposed service between Greenbelt and Franconia-Springfield using the existing Blue, Yellow and Green lines that would relieve congestion on the Orange and Blue lines in Northern Virginia. The Brown Line will be presented to Metro's Rider Advisory Committee on Wednesday. More details at Greater Greater Washington.

Finally, county politics and wasting time at work come together with the new Montgomery County YouTube channel, featuring all of MoCo's biggest hits. Among the videos featured are a two part series on the Fillmore, but the most-watched video so far, with thirty views is the most recent "County Report." With MoCoYouTube, you can bet these clips are definitely not NSFW.

Michael Jackson's "Thriller" ain't got nothing on my moves for this month's zombie walk.

One Calverton resident says street trees make Calverton Boulevard, above, unsafe for pedestrians.

At what point do trees go from being oxygen- and shade-givers to being silent killers? When they're street trees, apparently. A week ago, we wrote about County Executive Ike Leggett's recommendations for the new Road Code, which attempts to make MoCo roads friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists in addition to cars. One of Leggett's biggest suggestions - and the one that's become the most controversial - is the removal of trees adjacent to traffic, which he considers very dangerous.

Two letters in this week's Gazette discuss the perils of street trees. AAA Mid-Atlantic Chairman Lon Anderson says that street trees and narrower lanes are more trouble than they're worth - and that the Planning Board's hit a "new high in its arrogance" for endorsing them instead of the County Executive's suggestions:
While narrower lanes may slow traffic, they also provide less margin for driver error, and we all know drivers make errors. In narrower lanes, errors lead to more crashes, just as more trees close to the roads also limit space for driver errors that can — and regularly do — lead to serious and fatal crashes.Calverton resident Larry Reynolds says that trees impair his ability to see cars coming down Calverton Boulevard, which he walks on "several times a day":
I must step into the road before I can see if any vehicles are coming. The same is true for drivers pulling out of either of those streets. I have almost been hit several times . . . so much more AFTER THE JUMP . . .

Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray, Alexandria.

Anderson cites "driver error" as a reason why narrower lanes are dangerous. But if motorists are forced to drive slower, aren't the risks of "driver error" reduced - not only because they can react quicker, but because they can do less harm in a car that's going twenty-five miles an hour rather than forty?

And I'm not surprised that Reynolds has come close to being roadkill, but it has nothing to do with trees blocking his sight (which the County could fix with a little pruning.) Calverton Boulevard is five minutes from my parents' house, and I can tell you: people drive way too fast on it, myself included. The road is wide for a neighborhood street, and visually made wider because very few people park along it; it's fairly straight, and completely downhill if you're coming west from Cherry Hill Road. This is a design that encourages speeding, even with speed cameras. Talk about driver error! If you're going sixty (twice the posted limit) on Calverton, anything in your way is done for.

Compare this to Mount Vernon Avenue, a street in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, where I'm designing an infill project in my Studio class. Not unlike Calverton Boulevard, "the Avenue," as it's called, handles a lot more traffic than it was intended to as a neighborhood street, but with a lot less grief. Why? Well-used street parking and street trees visually make the road narrower and force drivers to slow down to about twenty-five miles an hour. I can cross Mount Vernon Avenue anywhere and not worry, because the cars can see me coming and I can see them coming, even with street trees. You'll find a lot of people on foot here, not just because it's a commercial street, but because it's a safe and attractive place to walk.

The odds are very high that street trees and narrower lanes will make a car slow down. What are the chances of "driver error" resulting in a deadly crash? As we found out in the tragic death of two ninety-two-year-old friends in a car-tree collision on Norbeck Road last month, those odds do exist. But why should we design our roads for extremely rare circumstances at the expense of a better daily experience for its users - not only motorists, but pedestrians and bicyclists as well.