According to City Clerk Jessie Carpenter, it’s been a decade since an advisory question appeared on the Takoma Park election ballot. That could change. At its Sept. 28 meeting, the Council is expected to vote to approve placing Councilmember Tim Male’s advisory question on the ballot for the Nov. 3 election.

Male has proposed placing an advisory question on the ballot to change City elections to coincide with the presidential and Maryland gubernatorial elections. He has advocated for this change as a means to increase voter turnout and broaden the racial and ethnic diversity of voters. “There is good evidence of higher turnout and lower costs,” Male said. In addition, “cities that have synced up their local elections with state and federal elections have found that it had a big influence on the demographics of who votes,” he continued, “and it’s easier for everybody.”

“There’s been a movement during the past six years to encourage people to vote,” observed City Manager Suzanne L. Ludlow. “We have early voting, and you don’t have to have a reason to vote absentee.”

“We are trying to make it as easy as possible,” Carpenter said of the many options local residents have for voting in city elections.

While these measures were designed to increase voter turnout, some in Takoma Park remember a time when voting in the City was very much a community affair. “People liked the positive feeling of a small community coming together in one place on Election Day,” Ludlow said.

She acknowledges that this new proposal to combine city elections with federal and state elections moves even further away from the community feel of the electoral process: “People would be dispersed in multiple places, and candidates would have to cover multiple polling places.”

However, changing the timeline for City elections is far from a done deal. If the advisory question does appear on the ballot, it will serve as means for merely gauging how local residents feel about the proposed change. “It’s an advisory question only,” Carpenter emphasized. “The Council would make the final decision to change the charter.”

Consideration of the question should make for healthy debate in the community and will likely be a topic of discussion at the upcoming Election Forum on Oct. 21.

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

The 38th annual Takoma Park Folk Festival was a feast for the senses. Upon arriving on convenient shuttles from Takoma metro station or the Montgomery College, festival goers were immediately surrounded by the aromas of the various cuisines available for tasting.

Some opted for refreshing all-natural smoothies or fresh-squeezed lemonade. Others enjoyed a full meal of teriyaki chicken kebabs with a side of lo mein, or perhaps, they chose the vegetarian African fare provided by Suya To Go. For dessert, the choices included funnel cake, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, and Italian custard shakes.

After enjoying their meals and community conversation in one of the designated outdoor eating areas, festival goers may have ventured inside to hear the lively music performances of the Aloha Boys or the Devil’s Tailors. While en route they couldn’t miss the energetic movement of the DC Morris Dancers as they entertained the crowd gathering near the entrance to Piney Branch Middle School.

If you were wondering what to do next, helpful volunteers were nearby to offer suggestions or directions to your next destination. In the vendor area, the eye-catching clothing, jewelry, and other crafts required closer inspection. Unique scents like citrus winter and orange lavender oatmeal drew attendees to Aburi Botanicals where soaps, oils, and other products were on display.

Tie Die Maker Steven Homberg made the trip from North Carolina to attend his fourth Takoma Park Folk Festival. He boasted that his clothing was softer to the touch than most. Perhaps his shirts, skirts, and dresses were as soft as the array of quilted eyeglass cases, cosmetic bags, and satchels available from I Sew Totes. In the booth across the way was Designs by Salone Starr showcasing African fashions and accessories inspired by the designer’s homeland of Sierra Leone.

For those a little winded from shopping, there was more food available for snacking. Perhaps they stopped at Dances with Loaves for a cherry almond scone, or they visited Cheryl’s Kitchen where a 30-year Takoma Park Resident featured her maple frosted walnuts, pecans and cashews at the festival for the first time.

After shopping and dining, festival goers could learn more about their community by visiting the tables of the many civic organizations represented at the event. Among them were the Village of Takoma Park, which provides transportation to senior residents through Village Rides, We Are Takoma, EducationFirst, OurSpace Acupuncture and Montgomery Blair High School. And if you hadn’t registered to vote, City Clerk Jessie Carpenter and a member of the board of elections were on hand at the Vote Takoma booth to help you complete the necessary forms in time for the upcoming election on Nov. 3.

There was so much to enjoy, and everywhere you looked families, friends, volunteers, and performers were doing just that. If you attended this year’s Takoma Park Folk Festival, you got an eyeful, an earful and a mouthful of the very best that the City has to offer.

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

By Jim Jarboe

As June 30, 2015, the Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department and the personnel of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service assigned to the station have responded to 326 firerelated incidents in 2015. The department addressed or assisted with 1,608 rescue or ambulance related incidents for a total of 1,934.

Totals for 2014 were 306 and 1,381, representing an increase of 247 incidents.

During the month of June 2015, the Takoma Park volunteers put in a total 808.5 hours of standby time at the station, compared to 1,328.5 in June 2014. Grand totals as of June 2015 are 8,073.5 hours, compared to 7,697 hours in 2014, an increase of 378.5 hours.

Maryland fire deaths

The Maryland State Fire Marshal Office reported 35 people have died in fires in July, compared to 37 in July 2014.

Safety Message

In the event of a power failure, the use of candles are not recommended. Should you use them, they should never be left unattended.

Award-winning firefighters

Takoma Park VFD members received a number of awards at the 2015 June Maryland State Firemen’s Association Convention. Among them were the Hall of Fame Award, to Chief Tom Musgrove; the Family Appreciation Award, to the Willey Family (including father and mother Richard and Tina, son Andrew and daughter Ashlee); and the EMS Top Responder Award to EMT Jorge Alfaro. Alfaro also received a nominee certificate for “EMT of the Year Award.”

A special recognition award went to FF/EMT Adam Bearne from the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service, which named him “EMS Provider of the Month” for performing the Heimlich Maneuver, saving the life of a choking victim. Lt. Ervin Wirth, MCFRS presented the award. Congratulations to all!

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

If you’ve looked for a book in the Library catalog or checked the status of your Library account in the past week or so, then you know that we’ve made some big changes.

All of these changes stem from our switch to new library software: Koha, hosted and supported by ByWater Solutions. Koha is an open source system used extensively in Europe, South America and Africa, as well as the United States. And, of course, in New Zealand, where it originated. Koha is a Maori word for gift.

We hope you like it.

What does this transition mean? Not only is the catalog prettier, you can do a lot you couldn’t do with the old one. It includes book cover photos and reviews. It allows users to narrow their searches to available titles, a particular genre (like books, CDs or e-books), and juvenile or adult titles.

Library users can also create reading lists, comment on books they have read, establish privacy settings and more easily access and manage their own Library accounts with the new software. Eventually, you will be able pay your fines remotely, using PayPal. And there are videos that introduce you to each function.

You might want to start by looking at your own account in our new system. Just click on the “My Account” button at the top left of the Library’s main website. Or go to the “log in” link at the bottom of the page. Either will get you to the right place.

You’ll then be asked for your user ID – that’s your library card number – and then your password. Normally, this is the month and day of your birthday, mmdd, and it has to be four numbers, so add a leading zero if you need to (i.e. if your birthday is Jan. 1, you would put in 0101).

Once you’re into your account, you can find a list of what you’ve got checked out – and when they’re due back — by clicking “your summary.” To see what fines you owe, click on “your fines.”

If you want to update your address or phone number or email, click on “your personal details.” In addition, you can determine how long the Library keeps your reading history by going to “your privacy.”

By clicking on “your messaging,” you can decide how often you want to get emails showing when items you’ve checked out are due back. Be sure to choose “digest only” where it is available to ensure that information about the items you’ve checked out is pulled together into one email.

Library users can also personalize their reading experience in several new ways in the Koha catalog. For example, you can create lists of books that you’ve read – or want to read – by clicking on “your lists.” To request that the Library purchase a particular item, click on “your purchase suggestions,” complete the online form, and then submit it.

In addition, you can comment on a book by following a two-step process. First, find the book in our catalog and then click on it. Under the basic information about the book, click on the “comments.” You’ll be prompted to log into your account, then you’ll need to find and click on the book in the catalog once more before typing in your comment. Once your comment is approved by library staff, you’ll see it in the catalog.

We hope that you will spend some time discovering all the great new features of our Koha catalog. If you have any questions, we’re happy to answer them; you also can check out the brief but informative videos about Koha. Let us know what you think!

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

Two men were arrested for a shooting that occurred in the wee hours of the morning on July 10 at the Econo Lodge on New Hampshire Avenue.

Samba Sow, 20, and Kevin Fuentes, 22, both of the District of Columbia, were arrested on charges of second degree murder, conspiracy, possession of a handgun in the commission of a felony, first degree assault and other offenses.

The arrests were announced six days after the shooting. Takoma Park Police had arrived at the scene to find a large crowd gathered. The incident corresponded to the gunshot victim who had walked to a local hospital; the victim suffered non-life threatening injuries.

After an exhaustive investigation, the police department reports that detectives were able to identify the suspects and the Special Assignment Team (SAT) located them. The Montgomery County Repeat Offenders Section assisted in the arrest, and the suspects were taken into custody at Sow’s residence. The vehicle used during the crime was also recovered.

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

Candidates for Mayor or Councilmember who wish to have their names placed on the ballot for the Nov. 3, 2015 City election must receive a nomination and a second at the Nominating Caucus, which will be held on Sept. 29. All information for candidates is available online. Any resident thinking of running for office May contact Jessie Carpenter, City Clerk, at 301-891-7267 with questions or jessiec@takomaparkmd.gov.

Mayor: Candidates for the office of Mayor must be At least 18 years of age on the day of the election, must have resided in the city for at Least Six Months Immediately preceding his / her election, and must be a qualified voter of the City . The Mayor must Maintain principal residence in the city During his / her term of office. If the Major Changes his / her principal residence from the city, the Mayor’s term Shall Be Immediately terminated and the vacancy Shall be filled as provided in Section 308 of the City Charter. The Mayor is prohibited from holding other publicly elective offices during his / her term of office, and is prohibited from serving on any city board, commission, or other body that has authority to adjudicate or resolve disputes otherwise.

City Council: Candidates for the office of Councilmember must be At least 18 years of age on the day of the election, Shall Have resided in the city (and ward from Which They are Elected) At least six months for preceding immediately their election, and shall be qualified voters of the city. The Councilmembers shall maintain their main residence in the city and in Their ward During Their term of office. If a Councilmember Changes his / her principal residence from the city or from the ward from the Councilmember which was elected, the Councilmember’s term shall be immediately terminated and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in Section 308 of the City Charter. The Councilmembers are prohibited from holding other publicly elected offices during the term of office, and are prohibited from serving on any city board, commission, or other body that has authority to adjudicate or resolve disputes otherwise.

Nominating Caucus

The Nominating Caucus will convene at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to accept nominations of candidates for Mayor and Councilmember. The Nominating Caucus will be held in the Auditorium of the Takoma Park Community Center-Sam Abbott Citizens’ Center, 7500 Maple Ave. Only qualified voters of the City May Participate in the Nominating Caucus. Residents May register before the meeting is called to order.

Nominations of candidates for Mayor Shall be made on motion by any qualified voter of the city, and if Such nomination is seconded by a qualified voter of the City, the person so nominated Shall Be Considered a candidate. Nomination of each candidate for Councilmember Shall be made on motion of any qualified voter of her / his ward, and if Such nomination is seconded by a qualified voter of his / her ward, the person so nominated Shall Be Considered a candidate. Any nominated candidate nomination During May decline to the nomination meeting. A person May only accept a nomination of one city office. The name of each person nominated for the office of Mayor and Councilmember Shall Be Placed upon the official ballot UNLESS he / she Shall file a declination With the City Clerk Within three (3) days after his / her nomination.

Any person nominated as a candidate must meet the qualifications of the office for Which she / he is nominated.

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

Amharic Story Time

We’re hosting our first Amharic Story Time on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 2 – 3 p.m. Geared to children ages 4-8 and their grown-ups, the program will be led by Kidist Desta, a Takoma Park resident and native Amharic speaker. Working with children’s librarian Karen MacPherson, Desta has created a program that will begin with a storytelling session – in English and Amharic – based on the book, “Silly Mammo.” The book, based on an Ethiopian folktale, is retold by Yohannes Gebregeorgis. Following the storytelling session, participants can do a craft based on the book. Registration is encouraged for this program, so that we can have enough craft materials for all. To register, please go to www.tinyurl.com/tplibraryevents or call us at 301-891-7259.

Nighttime Comics Jam

Join us for a special nighttime version of our popular Comics Jam program on Monday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. Dave Burbank, the library’s comics guru, will read some comics aloud, using our document camera and the big screen so that everyone can see all the action. Burbank will conclude the program by taking “drawing requests” from the audience, who can watch him do live drawing up on the big screen. No registration required; the program is best for ages 5 up.

Authors! Authors!

Mark your calendars for the beginning of another season of visits from top kids’ authors and illustrators, courtesy of our partnership with Politics and Prose bookstore. First up are author Mac Barnett and illustrator Christian Robinson, who will talk about their new picture book, “Leo, A Ghost Story,” on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. Great for ages 3-7 and their grown-ups!

Friends Fortnightly Book Club to Discuss Work by Rwandan Author

Join the Friends Reading Group to discuss “Our Lady of the Nile,” the 2012 novel by the Rwandan writer Scholastique Mukasonga on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hydrangea Room.

“Our Lady of the Nile” tells the story of a school for the daughters of the Rwandan elite before the genocide of 1994. Although it is set in the 1970s, the novel reveals that what was to come had already been set in motion. The novel uses the story of a group of students and their teachers to create what one reviewer described as a “microcosm” of the resentments that led to the Hutu massacre of more than 100,000 Tutsis in less than four months. More than just a story of a school for girls, “Our Lady of the Nile” explores the colonial history that led to the genocide.

Reviewer Bibi Deitz writes: “… “Our Lady of the Nile,” published in English 20 years after the massacre of the Tutsi people, is a political novel, addressing race, culture, gender. The brutality of the Hutu-Tutsi conflict is easily misunderstood. This book makes it human, brings it down to the level of the everyday. When the question of how such a thing could have happened is asked, the treacherous answer is here, in the mundane. By imagining the everyday lives of Rwandans, Mukasonga makes more sense of the climate leading up to the genocide than a stack of news articles does.”

All are welcome to attend the Friends of the Library book discussions. Copies of “Our Lady of the Nile” will be available at the Library.

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

By the time Takoma Park students read this, summer will be more than half over. The days will be shorter; the Sunday circular will show kids sporting the newest back to school fashion, including backpacks! So much to think about: school supply lists, new shoes, teachers and classes, and keeping the routes to school clear and safe for student traffic. So here is the Safe Routes to School list of ways to enjoy summer’s transition to fall:

• Decide to walk or bike to school this year. Combat all those hours in the classroom with a few extra minutes outside each morning and afternoon. Experience the changing season each morning as the temperatures get cooler and the days grow shorter.
• Add reflective gear to your back-toschool shopping list. Many backpacks, shoes and jackets incorporate retro-reflective fabric into the design. Choose items that are bright, so students can be seen while they travel to and from school on foot or by bike.
• Plan to walk with neighbors and friends every day and on Walk to School Day, Oct. 7. Seek out families who live nearby and make a plan to coordinate supervision by organizing a walking school bus or buddy system.
• Gamify your walking and biking habits. Count your steps and “walk across the state, the country, around the world.” Challenge yourself to a walking/biking record number of days without driving. Walk in the rain or snow. Make a walking scavenger hunt. Enjoy your time together.
• Make time to continue your summer yard work regime. Clear overgrown vines, shrubbery, hedges and other vegetation to the edge of the sidewalk. Keep the sidewalks clear so students can get by safely without ending up in the street. Ask your neighbors to do the same.

And most importantly, talk about safety. Plan your routes, discuss best practices for crossing the street, obeying laws and being aware of surroundings. For additional information about Takoma Park Safe Routes to School, contact Lucy Neher, lucyn@takomaparkmd.gov.

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

Accidental poisoning from medications has been increasing since 2001, especially for children. National Poison Control Centers data reported that approximately 5,000 children ages 6 years and under, and 18,783 adults, succumbed to accidental exposure to medications in 2007. Even child resistant containers cannot completely prevent a child from taking medicines that belong to someone else.

What can you do? Keep medications that you are using in a locked area, and dispose of unused or expired prescription and overthe-counter medications as soon as possible.

In Takoma Park, the police department has made the task easier. Its MedReturn mailbox is now open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Located in the lower level lobby area of the Community Center (7500 Maple Ave.), the green box is easy to find, safe and secure.

The Med-Return box accepts unwanted/unused prescription and non-prescription drugs, patches, ointments, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, or pet medication. Drugs can be dropped off with no questions asked.

Items that cannot be left are liquids, inhalers, aerosol cans, regular household ointments/lotions, needles/sharps and/or thermometers.

—Takoma Park Emergency Preparedness Committee

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

Summer is officially here, and many Takoma Parkers head outdoors to enjoy the s e a s o n — u n l e s s they are plagued by mosquitoes. Takoma Park’s Housing and Community Development staff says in order to keep them away, eliminating standing water is essential. It only takes a teaspoon or a bottle cap of water standing for about a week for hundreds of eggs to grow into adult mosquitoes. Here are a few hints:

• Make sure that you remove any tires, rubbish, or even toys that might hold water.
• Change water in any bird baths or pet dishes at least once a week.
• Make sure your gutters are clear and that water is not pooling in your downspouts.
• If you have a rain barrel or a pond without fish, you can get special mosquito dunks or pellets that kill mosquito larvae.

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