All posts by Sean Gossard

Poet Laureate Merrill Leffler receives regional recognition

Takoma Park’s Poet Laureate, Merrill Leffler, was recently honored by the Association of Jewish Libraries, Capital Area Chapter, with the 2015 Achievement Award. AJL celebrated Leffler for his poetry and for founding in 1967 the literary magazine “Dryad,” which grew into Dryad Press.

“Merrill is the consummate ‘mensch’—wise, understated, modest, generous and yet intensely rigorous and probing,” said AJL’s Ahron Taub, who presented the award to Leffler.

“He is a Jewish humanist in the most profound sense, wrestling with text and language in a realm unfettered by dogma or limitations arbitrarily imposed. His poems are marked, not only by music, of course, but by an unusual combination of sly wit, playfulness, and empathy, in a word—humane.”

Leffler has been Takoma Park’s poet laureate since July 2011 and contributor to many literature-focused events in the city. Leffler and his wife and fellow poet Anne Slayton started the Spring for Poetry posters in 2007. He’s praised the “strong and vital” independent presses and literary publications in the DC area. He spoke about how poetry is made and what makes it distinctive. Leffler quoted William Butler Yeats: “Out of the arguments with others, we make rhetoric; out of the arguments with ourselves we make poetry.”

“In this context, I take ‘arguments’ to mean venturing out, exploring the known and the unknown, questioning what we think we know, whether in theme, subject matter, style,” Leffler said.

And he quoted from Ecclesiastes: “of making many books there is no end.”

“Books that matter — I’ll call them ‘literary books’ — stimulate the mind, they give us deep pleasures and deep insights. They often disrupt the beliefs we take for granted and don’t question; they inform us more deeply about what we know — or think we know — to teach us about the world and about ourselves,” Leffler said. “Why else are we all gathered here?”

Leffler’s most recent book of poetry, “Mark the Music,” was published in 2012. It has been described as a book in three movements that suggest different stages of life. Its themes include aging, darkness, consolation and joy.

This article appeared in the August 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Join the community at the Takoma Park Folk Festival

The 38th Takoma Park Folk Festival is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Sept. 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Takoma Park Middle School located at 7611 Piney Branch Road.

Community building is at the heart of the festival, a well-established, family-oriented event celebrating the region’s rich musical and artistic talent. In addition to several stages with dozens of musicians, bands, and dancers, plus a lineup of food trucks with everything from grilled meat and vegetarian dishes to softserve ice cream, the event includes community tables for local non-profit or community organizations. In the past, the tables have featured church groups distributing literature; hospitals administering free blood pressure screenings; and dance studios offering mini tap dancing lessons.

Applications for the community tables are open to local organizations through Sept. 11 at www.tpff.org.

If you’re looking for another way to get involved with the Folk Festival, consider volunteering the day of the festival. Shifts are two hours in length, vary in task, and are appropriate for for all age groups. The Takoma Park Folk Festival is a Maryland 501(c)(3) organization. Previous beneficiaries include scout packs, Friends of Sligo Creek, and God Glorified Church.

For more information about this year’s festival, including information about community tables and volunteer opportunities, please visit the newly redesigned festival website at www.tpff.org.

This article appeared in the August 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Public art archive is missing (your) art

We Are Takoma, the city’s pro-art initiative that hosts performing arts, visual arts and other creative projects for and by residents, is interested in the incidental art that pops up all around town, and has been archiving it in a catalogue online. Mosaics, murals, sculptures and more dot the Takoma Park landscape, and thus far the project has documented 80 objects around the city—but city staff is eager to add to the list. To see photos of and hear conversations about the “Art About Takoma Park,” go to Takoma Park’s tumblr page, http://tkpkartabout.tumblr.com. To add your own, whether it is a yard ornament or public space display, go to www.takomaparkmd.gov/arts/public-art. From left, the trompe l’oeil front porch on Carroll Avenue in Old Town; a sculpted rooster perched near backyard friends; and the artistic child in the parking lot of the Community Center.

This article appeared in the August 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Stay cool, stay safe this summer

Takoma Park gets steamy in the summer months, and that can affect air quality. Here are some ways to stay healthy and avoid contributing in the region:

  • Fuel your car only after dark.
  • Skip the use of gas powered blowers, weed whackers, or edgers.
  • Avoid idling your car excessively.
  • Carpool, telecommute, or take mass transit to work.
  • Limit driving and combine errands.
  • Wait for a cooler day to use oil-based paints or switch to non-solvent or low VOC-based paints.
  • Avoid using aerosols and household products that contain solvents.
  • Avoid mid-day driving.
  • Conserve energy at home and work to reduce power demand.
  • Avoid or limit exertion mid-day.
  • Drink plenty of fluids.
  • Do not leave pets or children in the carunattended.
  • If you become over-heated seek an air-
    conditioned or shady location for rest.
  • Check on elderly neighbors to be sure they are safe.

This article appeared in the August 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

iCan Shine rolls out the inspiration

Takoma Park Safe Routes to School hosted the iCan Shine Bike Camp at Takoma Academy July 6-10 with daily sessions using professional staff and specially adapted bikes to teach individuals with disabilities how to ride a conventional bike. Thirty riders and 50 volunteers worked together during five daily sessions. Campers progressed from the very stable roller bikes to their own shiny new bikes, some as early as Wednesday. Parents watched in amazement as their children rode a two wheeled bike for the first time.

Joshua Williams was the first to ride. As he glided around the outdoor track, a huge smile on his face, his mother and brother looked on, mirroring his smile. “Look at your boy, Ma,” whispered his brother, James. After the camp, his mother Danna wrote, ” iCan Shine is a wonderful program for providing such an experience for children and Takoma Park is a great city for hosting it. Again, thank you so much for making this wonderful milestone of learning to ride a bike, as amazing for Joshua at age 14 as it would have been at age 8.”

Joshua and the other riders gained confidence, independence and a chance to be included in a way they never have been before. Safe Routes Coordinator Lucy Neher hopes to see at least two riders on Bike to School Day at Piney Branch Elementary School next spring.

This article appeared in the August 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Activists rise to support Piney Branch Elementary pool — and win

By Kevin Adler

Once again, the swimming pool at Piney Branch Elementary was slated for closure, and once again local residents rose up to keep it open. On July 28, the county restored funding that had initially cut, and the pool was saved.

Back in the spring, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett did not include funding for the pool in his proposed FY16 county budget. But after hearing about the popularity of the county’s only public pool inside the beltway, the County Council provided the necessary $160,000 for operations and maintenance for the upcoming fiscal year.

However, when more belt-tightening was needed, Leggett proposed cutting pool funding in early July as part of a packag of $51 million in cuts.

Takoma Park residents and others quickly responded. Takoma Park resident Laura Barclay started an online petition through Change.org that had obtained more than 450 signatures by mid-July. “I tried to register to present the petition at the July 28 County Council meeting,” Barclay said, “but they said that they will be talking only about capital expenditures, and the pool is an operating expense. We have been told we can submit the petition by email, but we’re working on a way to present in-person, which would be stronger.”

For Barclay, as well as many other area residents, the pool is an important part of their lives throughout the year. “My kids have taken lessons and been on the swim team organized by Aquatic Stars, which rents the pool,” she said. “I’ve used the pool for the masters swim program that’s organized by Daleview pool.”

Located within a short walk or drive from anywhere in Takoma Park, the pool is a boon for people without cars, said Barclay. “If you look at the other options for swim programs, they’re crazy drives at rush hour,” she said. “This pool is so convenient.”

The presence of the pool within Piney Branch Elementary is yet another benefit, Barclay added. “In my daughter’s fourth-grade class, I’d say a majority of the kids don’t really know how to swim,” she said. “For some, this is their only exposure to a pool.”

The Takoma Park City Council is solidly behind the pool. It unanimously voted on July 13 to support a resolution urging the County Council to return the funds to the budget.

Good signs emerged from the County Council, too, as Planning, Housing, and Economic Development Committee members Nancy Floreen and members George Leventhal and Hans Riemer voted on July 13 in favor of funding the pool.

Meanwhile, some people in Takoma Park have bigger ambitions for the pool. “We are moving into a phase of advocacy for county renovation of the pool,” said Takoma Park Ward 1 Councilmember Seth Grimes. “Desirable elements include facility modernization, accessibility improvements to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards, and physical separation of the pool facilities from the school.”

Grimes said he received a commitment from Montgomery County Recreation Director Gabe Albornoz to conduct an interdepartmental meeting in the fall about possible renovation projects.

Barclay said that the off-on-off nature of the financing has showed that Takoma Park needs to present a long-term plan for the pool. “We don’t want to go through this every year,” she said, noting that it’s not the first time the pool has been threatened with closure.

This article appeared in the August 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Fund for community projects available

Application deadline 12 noon, Wednesday, Sept. 2

The City of Takoma Park is accepting proposals for the use of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis to community organizations for a wide range of activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization, economic development and the provision of improved community facilities and services.

Approximately $11,600 is available for programming which primarily benefits individuals or households of low and moderate incomes. An additional $79,400 is available for capital projects benefitting low and moderate-income neighborhoods. Proposed programming may be something that an organization does on its own or in partnership with the City of Takoma Park. Funds would be available in fall of 2016.

Applications are available at www.takomaparkmd.gov/hcd/community-grants.

There will be an informational meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Takoma Park Community Center auditorium. Deadline for submissions is 12 noon on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

For more information, please contact the Housing and Community Development Department at 301-891-7119.

This article appeared in the August 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

4th of July in Takoma Park

Despite damp weather, the fourth of July brought the usual festivities to Takoma Park this year: parade and fireworks, though the latter were delayed a day. At the parade, a happy crowd lined up to enjoy the shenanigans. Among the marchers this year were a roller derby crew, an impressively steam-punk-like junkmobile, boy scouts and young bicyclists equipped for whatever came down the road.

Parade winners were as follows: Performing arts, first through third place respectively, Fraternidad Folklorica Cultural Ruphay, The Finest Marching ThunderKatz! and the Mark H. Rooney Taiko School; costumed entries first through third, Zydeco Cowboyz and Cowgirls, Takoma Horticultural Club and Free State Roller Derby; youth groups, first and second places, Girl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital Service Unit 34-8 and Friends, and Boy Scouts of America Troop 33 and Cub Scouts Pack 33; Roscoe Award, Greenbelt Dog Training Marching Drill Team; Wacky Tacky Takoma Award first through third, Good Dog, Vanadu and the Ritchie Citizens Association; and the TPIDC Memorial Award (in honor of Belle Ziegler, Ernie Weisman, Ed Hutmire, June Aloi, and Kay Daniels-Cohen), Motor Driven Band and Roland’ Unisex Barber Shop.

For more great images of the parade, including floats and marchers, go to www.tpssvoice.com/2015/07/07/photos-takoma-park-parade-damp-but-undaunted.

This article appeared in the August 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.

Takoma Notes an opportunity to invest locally

By Rick Henry

“Put your money where your mouth is,” goes the old saying. But when it comes to investing, the Old Town Business Association (OTBA) wants Takoma Park residents to “put their money where their home is.” To that end, the organization has established Takoma Notes, an innovative community investment program that allows citizens to invest in local businesses.The program identifies local businesses that would benefit from additional capital and develops specific loan packages to meet their needs.

According to City Councilmember Seth Grimes, Takoma Park is a perfect community for such an initiative. “Takoma Park has a strong “shop local” preference, for non-chain, locally owned businesses, and those businesses excel at meeting community needs while creating economic opportunity for residents and recycling profits back into the community,” he said.

He also pointed out that the timing is right and that programs similar to Takoma Notes are becoming more popular in states and localities. As an example, he cited Maryland state legislation that was enacted in 2014 that allows Maryland businesses to borrow up to $100,000 from Maryland residents who lend up to $100 each.

A little history

Indeed, the Takoma Notes program builds off an existing revolving loan program that was established by the OTBA Main Street Economic Restructuring Committee in 2009, according to committee chairman Preston Quesenberry. The program is a yearly fund of $125,000 that the OTBA uses to issue loans to local businesses. Money from the fund comes from local residents and its success over the years inspired members of the restructuring committee to explore other options, said Laura Barclay, Executive Director of the OTBA.

“There is always a need for money for local businesses and the revolving fund is a fixed pool,” she said.  “So we started looking at how we could expand the pool.”

“The demand [from local businesses] was exceeding the amount we could lend out through the fund,” Quesenberry said.

On the supply side, Quesenberry said the committee noticed that the people of Takoma Park seemed willing not just to support, but to invest in, local businesses, citing the highly successful Kickstarter campaign that helped provide funds to La Mano Coffee Shop near the Takoma Metro.

Quesenberry said the committee’s initial thought was to simply let more local residents contribute to the revolving loan fund. But increasing the size of the fund had its drawbacks.

“We didn’t know if the demand would always be there,” he said. “So we decided to explore a project-by-project approach.”

The result is Takoma Notes.

The mechanics

Through the program, local businesses apply for funding. Members of the OTBA vet the businesses, then raise the money to make the loan by issuing Takoma Notes to local investors. When the OTBA raises the necessary amount within the established time period, it then lends the proceeds to the specified Takoma business.

The business then pays interest and principal to OTBA which in turn passes those payments to the Takoma Note investors. The program is offered to all Maryland and Washington, D.C. residents. Representatives from Colombo Bank have worked closely with OTBA organizers and the bank will handle the investments and transactions.

“This is a great opportunity for businesses to get capital,” said Barclay. “It is easier to acquire than traditional capital and they can use it for expansion and inventory.”

Such is the case with Takoma Notes’ first recipient. Last summer MAD Fitness was invited to be the first recipient of Takoma Notes funding. Proprietors Sue Immerman and Eve Kenney sought out Barclay and the OTBA because they were looking for additional funds to further build out and equip their fitness studio at 7302 Carroll Ave.

“We had already taken out a commercial loan and we wish we had known about this program beforehand,” the mother-daughter owners told the newsletter.

“We live and work in Takoma Park so we wanted to participate in the Takoma Notes program as soon as Laura told us that there were people in the community who wanted to make an investment that would support the liveliness of Takoma Park (and get a return on it).”

For MAD Fitness OTBA will be offering $10,000 in Takoma Notes in increments off $100 and higher. These notes have a stated interest rate of 3 percent. Securing the notes will allow MAD Fitness to expand to offer more classes and options and help kick off an innovative membership plan in the not-too-distant future.

“We had planned to improve the studio gradually over time as our business generated profits that we could reinvest. However, a loan at this time will allow us to up our game now,” they said.

MAD Fitness may be the first Takoma Notes recipient, but other lining up to follow.

“We have put a call out to the community and we have had several businesses reach out to us,” said Barclay. And while she says OTBA wants to make as many loans as it can, it has to keep capacity in mind and make sure each application is carefully considered before it is accepted.

The main criteria involve the following issues, said Barclay:

  • Who needs money and when;
  • How many applications and loans can OTBA handle and manage well; and
  • How best to encourage and maintain community interest.

“While we have been making loans out of the revolving fund for a while, we haven’t had to pay back investors,” she said.

With the assistance of Colombo officials and the critical eye of Quesenberry and the other members of the committee, she is confident that both the investors and the businesses will reap the rewards of the program. “No investment is 100 percent safe,” she said. “But we want to make sure that the investment opportunities are scrutinized and investors feel as comfortable as they can be.”

To learn more, or to invest in Takoma Notes go to www.mainstreettakoma.org/investor-form.

Takoma Park pioneers polystyrene ban

By Nima Upadhyay and Stephen Rabent

On July 1, the City-wide ban on polystyrene-composed packaging and foodservice wares took effect for food-service facilities in Takoma Park. Passed unanimously by the City Council on Nov. 10, 2014, the resolution prohibits food-service facilities from using polystyrenecomposed packaging or food-service ware (plastic resin code #6), when providing prepared foods for on-site or take-away consumption. Members of the Young Activist Club from Piney Branch Elementary School were instrumental in introducing the issue to the Council and sustaining the momentum needed to get the resolution passed.

The ban makes the ubiquitous “clamshell” polystyrene foam take-out container, among other foam and rigid polystyrene products, a relic of the past for Takoma Park residents. More sustainable products are replacing these, which are widely understood to be nonrenewable and heavily polluting, since they do not break down easily. Also, the products are made of styrene, a known neurotoxin that is reasonably anticipated to be carcinogenic.

Violations of the ordinance could result in a Class C municipal infraction, which carries a $200 fine for the first offense and a $400 fine for repeat offenses.

Containers made of compostable plastic, plant fiber, and recycled paper will be the new norm for residents grabbing lunch on the go from one of the many local restaurants in the city. These products also often have the environmental benefit of being compostable, in addition to recyclable. The ordinance is a component of Takoma Park’s efforts to decrease its environmental footprint, protect public health, and achieve a more sustainable future.

Other Bans in the Region

Takoma Park is not the only area that is working to decrease litter, keep the Chesapeake Bay clean, and become more sustainable through a ban on polystyrene. The District of Columbia has also passed a law banning the use of expanded polystyrene (foam), which enters into effect on Jan. 1, 2016. This law also includes the requirement that all food-service ware be recyclable or compostable by Jan. 1, 2017. Montgomery County has also prohibited the use and sale of expanded polystyrene food-service products and the sale of polystyrene loose fill packaging, effective Jan. 1, 2016, with the same additional requirement that food-service wares are compostable or recyclable by Jan. 2017.

The county ban on polystyrene does contain different provisions than the Takoma Park ordinance. It is accessible through the Public Works Department website. Most recently, Prince George’s County banned the sale of expanded polystyrene food-service wares and packaging materials, beginning in July 2016.

Business Impact

Takoma Park’s ban will apply to all food-service facilities, including restaurants, coffee-shops, retail markets and take-out counters, within the city. Those most directly affected will be local restaurants and food-related businesses that have carry-out meals as a large portion of their daily sales. A few businesses within the city have already stopped the use of polystyrene products ahead of the ban. Capital City Cheesecake, for example, uses items that are either compostable or recyclable.

For those who have not yet made the transition, cost considerations will be a concern, but city staff estimate that costs will actually be relatively minor. Products composed of alternative materials are readily available from a wide range of food-service ware suppliers, both locally and online, so finding an adequate replacement to polystyrene should be simple. For specific comparisons, businesses (and interested residents) will find an extensive product and cost inventory and cost comparisons of alternative material food-service wares on the Public Works Department website. Also, businesses can request a waiver from the city manager due to safety or health reasons, a lack of polystyrene alternatives, or other hardship conditions.

City resources

The Public Works Department has a comprehensive web page with information, frequently asked questions, and resources for business owners and residents to use to learn more about the polystyrene ban and how it impacts them. Some of these include:

  • A description of alternative materials to replace polystyrene products and a link to a third-party verification organization to check to see if the item is compostable.
  • A list of 16 vendors and manufacturers of polystyrene alternatives including their contact information and a brief description of the products they offer.
  • A product and cost inventory of foodservice ware polystyrene alternatives.
  • A detailed cost analysis document on the expected costs of the transition.

Additional questions can be directed to Nima Upadhyay at nimau@takomaparkmd.gov or the Public Works Department at 301-891-7633.

Enforcement

The polystyrene ban will be enforced through citizen reports and complaints regarding food-service facilities that are continuing to use polystyrene products. Violations of the ordinance could result in a Class C municipal infraction, which carries a $200 fine for the first offense and a $400 fine for repeat offenses. To report a violation of the ordinance, contact Public Works at 301-891-7633.

This article appeared in the July 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.