Critical Blood Shortage
The National Institute of Health Blood Bank has announced an urgent need for type O blood donors. Both local and regional inventories of this blood type are dangerously low. If you are a donor with blood type O, please donate today by visiting the NIH Blood Bank located on the first floor of the Clinical Center on the NIH campus in Bethesda. Hours of operation are from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Please call for an appointment or directions at 301-496-1048. Convenient, free parking is available for blood donors.
If you have not donated blood before and are not sure if you are eligible, please visit www.cc.nih.gov/dtm/html/donrinfo.htm to learn more about being a donor at NIH.
Be Part of the Children’s Almanac
During the last week of the year, the Potomac Almanac publishes the Children’s Almanac, a collection of artwork, photographs, reviews, stories, poems and other creative writing created by students. We invite submissions from individual students, from art classes, from teachers and schools who have collected material from their classes, from public schools, from private schools, from nursery schools and high schools, from homeschool families. Submissions for the Children’s Almanac are due in the first week of December.
Mail submissions to The Potomac Almanac, Children’s edition, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102. Digital photos of artwork, and word or text documents for creative writing are preferred, but all submissions are welcome. Contact editor Alex Scofield with questions at PotomacAlmanac@hotmail.com, or 703-917-6453.
River Road Unitarian Holds Bazaar
River Road Unitarian’s 37th Annual Bazaar, a giant estate sale (with garage sale prices) will be held on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 6301 River Road (at Whittier Blvd.), Bethesda. Books, white elephants, toys, clothing, jewelry, lunch and snacks from 8 a.m.-2:45 p.m. Viewing and registration for the live auction begins at 11 a.m.; bidding begins at 3:30 p.m. Visit www.rruc.org/bazaar06/ or call 301-229-0400.
German School Hosts Christmas Bazaar
The German School of Washington, D.C. at 8617 Chateau Drive, Potomac, hosts a Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with holiday wreaths, Christmas trees, Christmas decorations and traditional German figurines, gift items, and a German and Swiss delicatessen. At dusk, the elementary school will hold a special lantern parade for children. Lanterns will be available at the bazaar. Visit www.dswashington.org.
Start Making ‘Nunsense’
The Potomac Theatre Company presents "Nunsense," Nov. 17-Dec. 3, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Blair Family Center for the Arts, Bullis School, 10601 Falls Road, Potomac. Join the Little Sisters of Hoboken as they stage a benefit revue to raise money to bury a group of nuns accidentally poisoned by their own convent chef. Winner of four Outer Critics Circle Awards, including Best Off-Broadway Musical. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors. Visit www.potomactheatreco.org, call 301-299-8571 or call Marilyn Shockey at 301-977-7712.
School Board to Meet Student Leaders
Members of the Montgomery County Board of Education and Superintendent Jerry D. Weast will meet with the Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils, the Montgomery County Junior Councils, student government association presidents, and other student leaders on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will take place in the auditorium of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, in Rockville.
The Board meets annually with student leaders from middle and high schools to gain a better understanding of students’ concerns and priorities. Among the topics that students are expected to discuss are field trips, bullying, class size, lunch lines and the time it takes to eat, use of cell phones, security, and lockers.
Senior staff members of Montgomery County Public Schools also will be present to respond to questions from students and the Board.
Police Seek Help in Identifying Burglary Suspect
Detectives from the Montgomery County Police 1st District are seeking the publics help in identifying the suspect who burglarized three businesses in the 9700 block of Traville Gateway Drive in Rockville.
On Oct. 12 between 9 p.m. and the morning of Oct. 13, the suspect is responsible for three burglaries in the 9700 block of Traville Gateway Drive and numerous attempts. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect gained entry to 9727, a general dentistry office; and 9729, a Barber shop, however the suspect did not obtain any property from either location. The suspect gained entry to a third business at 9731, the Crest Cleaners where he obtained U.S. currency. Officers who canvassed the area observed evidence that the suspect attempted to gain access to other businesses in the area of Traville Gateway Drive.
The suspect is described as a black male, 40-50 years-of-age, approximately 5’8"-6’0" tall, wearing a black or gray suit jacket, pants, with a white dress shirt, a dark colored tie, glasses and a dark hat.
Anyone who may have information about these burglaries is asked to call the 1st District Investigative Section at 240 773-6084. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous should call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest and/or indictment in this felony crime.
Potomac Library Holds Book Sale
Friends of the Potomac Library are sponsoring a book sale at the library at 10101 Glenolden Drive on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Most hardbacks are $1, and paperbacks $.50. Call 240-777-0690 or visit www.montgomerylibrary.org.
Har Shalom Hosts Hanukkah Happening
Congregation Har Shalom’s annual Hanukkah Happening is a family event will be held on Sunday, Dec. 17, 4:30-7 p.m. at the synagogue, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac. Parents, grandparents and kids of all ages are invited to a fun-filled evening of arts and crafts, games, moonbounce, singing, dancing and a dairy dinner (lots of latkes!). Bring your hanukkiah for a group lighting ceremony. Advance admission for the event (before Dec. 12) is $7 per adult, $5 for each child and a per-family maximum of $25; after Dec. 12 or at the door it will be $8 per adult, $6 per child and a family max of $30. Reservations strongly recommended. For more information, call the synagogue’s program committee at 301-299-7087, ext. 2321.
Legacy Open Space Advisory Group Members Sought
The Montgomery County Planning Board seeks individuals to serve on the Legacy Open Space Advisory Group. The group provides public input on which irreplaceable natural resources, watershed lands and historic properties are purchased and preserved for future generations.
The Legacy Open Space Advisory Group reviews the program to protect identified Legacy Open Space sites; reviews new nominations of sites for protection under the program; comments on park management plans for already acquired properties; and identifies other funding sources, such as private donations and foundation grants.
Advisory Group applicants must be residents of Montgomery County with an interest in the future of the County’s parks and green spaces; have the ability to attend four evening meetings per year; and have an interest in learning more about natural resources, historic sites, green space preservation, and urban open space issues. Experience with these issues is a plus, but not necessary.
To apply, please send a letter expressing your interest to: Brenda Sandberg, Legacy Open Space Program Manager, 1109 Spring Street, Suite 800, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
For more information on the Legacy Open Space program and the Advisory Group, please contact Brenda Sandberg at 301-650-4360 or Brenda.sandberg@mncppc-mc.org.
Community Offers Reward After Mailbox Vandalism
in the wake of extensive vandalism to numerous mailboxes in the River Falls neighborhood between Sept. 30 and October 1, the Community Association of River Falls is offering a private reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of those responsible for the destruction of mailboxes in their community. The reward will be offered until Dec. 16.
Police received reports for nine incidents: four on Masters Drive, one on Buckboard Court, two on Bridle Lane, one on Bridle Court, and one on Brickyard Road. The victims last saw their mailboxes intact between 3:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Community members believe many more mailboxes were damaged, but the incidents were not reported to the police.
Anyone who has information in reference to these vandalisms should call the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County tip line toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). The Crime Solvers phone line guarantees anonymity.
Blindness Prevention Fundraiser, Free Glaucoma Screenings at Behnke Nurseries
Behnke Nurseries is partnering with the Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington (POB) for a fundraising campaign to benefit POB’s sight-saving programs.
Between Nov. 16 and Dec. 24, Behnke Nurseries will donate $1 from every purchase made at its garden centers to the Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington, as well as provide locations for free glaucoma screenings.
The Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington will be sponsoring free glaucoma screenings at Behnke on 9545 River Road, Potomac, on Sunday, Nov. 26 and Saturday, Dec. 16 in Potomac from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Montgomery Democratic State Central Committee Seeking Nominees for Key Posts
The Montgomery Democratic State Central Committee (MDSCC) will elect two members to the Committee and will nominate three members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections to the incoming Governor of Maryland.
One of the new members of the MDSCC will be an at-large voting Central Committee member and will replace Andrea Eaton who has resigned; registered Democrats of any gender from anywhere in Montgomery County are eligible to fill this position.
The other opening on the MDSCC is for a female registered Democrat voting member of the Maryland Democratic Party State Central Committee and non-voting member of the MDSCC to provide for gender balance in accordance with the rules of the Democratic National Committee; registered female Democrats from anywhere in Montgomery County are eligible for this position.
The two new members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections will be voting members and one will be a substitute member. Montgomery County registered Democrats are eligible for nomination.
Applicants should submit a letter of application with a resume by 12 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 7], to the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee by mail to 3720 Farragut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895, Fax to 301-946-1002 or e-mail to MontgomeryDems@msn.com. Applicants will be interviewed by a Nominations Recommendation Committee at the Central Committee at 7:30 p.m. either on Thursday, Dec. 7, or Monday, Dec. 11. Applicants are also requested to attend the Dec. 12 meeting at 7:30 p.m.
For further information, contact Elliot Chabot at 301-871-1113.