iCan Shine is a non-profit organization that teaches individuals with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheel bicycle using adapted equipment, trained professionals and volunteers. Takoma Park is running an iCan Shine Bike Camp July 6-10 at Takoma Academy, 8120 Carroll Ave., and needs volunteers to help out.

The camp, which involves 75-minute sessions of instruction every day for five days, uses volunteer spotters who work with the same camper each day, in the same 75-minute time slot. Prior to each session there will be a 15 minute briefing for the volunteers on the camper’s progress and needs. Spotters run alongside the bike encouraging the rider by cheering and giving instructions. Volunteers must:

• Be at least 16 years old
• Be able to attend 90 minutes at the same time each of the five days of camp (15 minutes of training/briefing, 75 minute riding session
• Be able to provide physical, emotional and motivational support to assigned rider
• Be able and willing to get some exercise (light jogging/running) for a great cause!

For more information, contact lucyn@ takomaparkmd.gov or 301-891-7235.

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

Last summer, just after noon on an early August day, Takoma Park neighbors heard a disturbance in the 800 block of Colby Avenue and called the police. When Takoma Park police officers arrived, they found 73-year-old Cecil Brown violently beaten, dead in his own back yard. The Medical Examiner later determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma, and the investigation began.

Neighbors were assured early on that this was not a random crime, and that it was unlikely there would be related incidents in their neighborhood. But police were necessarily stingy with the details as they worked to unravel the case.

Then on May 28, 2015, Brown’s widow, Larlane L. Brown, 68, and a man who investigations suggest was her lover, Hussain Ali Zadeh, 49, were arrested for first degree murder and conspiracy to commit first degree murder. The two were arrested at the Baltimore Washington Airport as Zadeh returned from a trip to Jamaica, and Brown was there to meet him.

The investigation reads like a detective story. There were phone calls and texts between Brown and Zadeh the morning of the murder. The suspects denied they knew one another well. But there were shared bank accounts. There was a silver Jaguar for Zadeh, purchased by Brown. And records of hotel bookings. A family member told police there was an affair. And, perhaps most damning, there were searches on Larlane Brown’s phone about how a person could die – death by burning, drinks that cause heart failure, taser shock – as well as hand-written recipes for poison.

Police were ready with evidence months before they were able to make the arrests, so when Zadeh returned to the country they acted quickly. Now Brown is being held at $5 million bond, and Zadeh at $3 million bail.

At the center of the sordid tale is Cecil Brown, who police described as well-liked by neighbors and family members, someone who was often out working in his yard, a man who, “doted on his grandchildren,” according to one account. “He was just a decent, respected man, a hardworking guy,” Takoma Park Police Chief Alan Goldberg told the Gazette newspapers at the time of the arrest. “It’s such a shame.”

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

By Jim Jarboe

As of May 31, 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 269 firerelated incidents in 2015. The department addressed or assisted with 1,316 rescue or ambulance related incidents for a total of 1,585.

Totals for 2014 were 259 and 1,148, representing an increase of 178 incidents.

During the month of May 2015, the Takoma Park volunteers put in a total of 1,189.5 hours of standby time at the station, compared to 1,443.5 in May 2014. Grand totals as of May 2015 are 7,265.5 hours, compared to 6,368.5 hours in 2014, an increase of 897 hours.

Maryland fire deaths

The Maryland State Fire Marshal Office reported as of June 18, 2015, 33 people have died in fires, compared to 35 in June 2014.

Safety Messages

ALL FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY! Let’s be safe…enjoy them from a distance. Leave the fireworks to the professionals.

Grilling Safety

There’s nothing like outdoor grilling. It’s one of the most popular ways to cook food. But, a grill placed too close to anything that can burn is a fire hazard. They can be very hot, causing burn injuries. Follow these simple tips and you will be on the way to safe grilling.

• All cooking grills should only be used outdoors.
• The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
• Never leave your grill unattended.

Facts

• June and July are the peak months for grill fires.
• Thirty-three percent of home grill structure fires start on an exterior balcony or unenclosed porch. IT’S THE LAW… NO COOKING ON BALCONIES!

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

Activist Michael Walli, recently released after serving a two-year jail term for spilling blood on the top uranium production site for nuclear weapons in Oak Ridge, Tenn.; and Robert Alvarez, an international expert on nuclear proliferation issues at the Institute for Policy Studies, will headline the Nuclear Free Committee’s program on halting nuclear weapons July 16 at the Takoma Park Community Center.

The event also features the shocking video, “A Time Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945.” The date of the event marks the 70th anniversary of the world’s first nuclear weapon detonation, the Trinity test , carried out by the U.S. at the Alamogordo proving grounds in the New Mexico desert on July 16,1945. The program will begin at 7 p.m. There is no admissions charge.

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

By Karen MacPherson

Reading with your ears – otherwise known as listening to an audiobook – is a fun and different way to tackle a book. It’s also a popular way to read. A recent survey done for the Audio Publishers Association by Edison Research shows that 55 million Americans listened to an audiobook last year.

The most popular genre of audiobooks is a catch-all category called “mysteries/ thrillers/suspense,” followed closely by history, biography and memoir, and popular fiction, the survey showed.

We’ve got a number of great new audiobooks in these categories for both adults and kids – what follows is just a selection. Come into the library and check out these new audiobook offerings; they’re perfect for adding extra fun to any upcoming travel, but you can enjoy a good audiobook at home while doing chores, doodling or just sitting and relaxing.

ADULT:

FICTION:

“The Escape” by David Baldacci: “Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy are a triedand-true team, having already narrated a number of Baldacci’s books together. With Cassidy delivering all the female dialogue and McLarty reading everything else, their voices dovetail seamlessly in this story of a man on the run from the law and others who want him dead.” (Audiofile)

“The Silkworm” by Robert Galbraith (alias of J.K. Rowling): “The wizardry here is in Rowling’s vividly drawn cast— their nuanced personalities and fabulous range of accents perfectly re 0alized by reader Robert Glenister—and in its intricately structured plot, replete with a long list of possible suspects and deftly hidden clues…” (Bookpage)

“The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins: “Three talented narrators handle Hawkins’s debut psychological thriller, giving identifiable voices and personalities to the characters….Top-notch narration makes this perfect for audio.” (Audiofile).

“Revival” by Stephen King: “A chilling conclusion finishes off another fine tale, narrated in an effective performance by David Morse…. King fans will be delighted, and, despite supernatural elements, those who think of King as just a horror writer will be pleasantly surprised.” (Library Journal)

“The Long Way Home” by Louise Penny: “Narrator Ralph Cosham is back for the tenth installment in Penny’s beloved Three Pines mystery series, featuring Armand Gamache, chief inspector of homicide of the Süreté du Québec…. With pitch-perfect rhythm, Cosham pulls listeners irresistibly into the chief inspector’s world of art, jealousy, and murder.” (Audiofile)

“The Complete Lord of the Rings Trilogy,” by J.R. R. Tolkien: This unabridged recording features a full cast who bring author J.R. R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy to life.

“A Spool of Thread” by Anne Tyler: “Narrator Kimberly Farr’s experience with character-driven novels is evident from her nuanced performance of this compelling story about four generations of Whitshanks and the Baltimore, Maryland, home that bore witness to their public and private histories.” (Audiofile)

NON-FICTION:

“As You Wish” by Cary Elwes: “For anyone who’s ever loved the movie ‘The Princess Bride,’ Cary Elwes’s memoir of filming it is a must-listen….recollections by director Rob Reiner and cast members Billy Crystal, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, and others are interspersed, some read by the actors and the rest performed by Danny Burstein. But it’s Elwes’s reminiscences and behind-the-scenes stories- -and his impressions of the other actors- -that are the stars here.” (Audiofile)

“Unbroken,” by Laura Hillenbrand: “Narrator Edward Herrmann never gets in the way of this story of WWII heroism, survival, and redemption. His voice is so compelling that the narrative flows smoothly and engagingly.” (Audiofile)

“This Changes Everything” by Naomi Klein: “Narrator Ellen Archer maintains excellent clarity as she delivers Klein›s comprehensive analysis linking climate change to a broader progressive agenda. Klein explains why everyone who cares about social justice should care about climate change and why our political leaders do so little to address such an important and well-documented crisis.(Audiofile)

“Dead Wake” by Erik Larson: “As events escalate toward the momentous sinking of the British passenger liner LUSITANIA by a German U-boat during WWI, this comprehensive history reads almost like a novel, and that’s exactly how Scott Brick narrates it.” (Audiofile)

“Yes Please” by Amy Poehler: “There are no doubt people in the world who do not wish to hang out with Poehler, including the crabby businessman who complained about the author and her “comedy wife,” Tina Fey, talking nonstop on a flight. For the rest of us, there’s Yes Please on audio… read by Poehler,” (Audiofile)

“Wild,” by Cheryl Strayed: “Bernadette Dunne’s narration reflects the emotional upheaval that Cheryl Strayed experienced as she plunged into a downward spiral following the death of her mother, the dissolution of her marriage, and a foray into heroin usage and sexual promiscuity….Dunne’s narration captures the author’s grit and heart in this absorbing memoir.“ (Audiofile)

KIDS:

“The Spycatchers of Maple Hill” by Megan Frazer Blakemore (Ages 8-12): “The year is 1953, and fifth grader Hazel Kaplansky is a girl in search of a mystery…. Narrator Meredith Orlow perfectly captures the spirit of this Cold War–era story, portraying neighbors turning against neighbors and whispers becoming rumors and lies.” (School Library Journal)

“The 14th Goldfish” by Jennifer Holm (Ages 8-12): “Georgette Perna’s deft narration enhances Holm’s story of a generation gap gone haywire. How do you cope when your grandfather turns up as a teenager who becomes your babysitter and draws you into a daring B and E of his former science lab? Perna voices 12-yearold Ellie’s wacky adventures with glee.” (Audiofile)

“Clementine and the Spring Trip” by Sara Pennypacker (Ages 7-10): “Jessica Almasy completely inhabits Clementine, a precocious third grader and budding artist. In addition to expressing Clementine’s generally upbeat nature, Almasy’s high tones and bouncy inflections capture the enthusiasm of the dynamic young protagonist as she flutters from one principle-inspired undertaking to the next.” (Audiofile)

“P.S. Be Eleven” by Rita WilliamsGarcia (Ages 8-12): “In this sequel to the Newbery Honor book ‘One Crazy Summer,’ Delphine and her younger sisters are caught between the middle-class mores of their Brooklyn grandmother and the radical views of their mother, a poet in California who sends them missives on the struggle for black power. Narrator Sisi Johnson conveys Delphine’s continual dilemmas as the eldest sister who is old beyond her years—hence her mother’s constant admonition—”PS Be Eleven.”

YOUNG ADULT (Ages 12 up):

“The Family Romanov” by Candace Fleming: “—Listeners need not have a background in Russian history to enjoy Fleming’s account of the dramatic rise and fall of the last Russian royal family. Kimberley Farr, along with a cast of voice actors, reads stories of the opulence in the palace and the destitution—ultimately leading to revolution—in the streets…. Farr’s narration combined with Fleming’s brilliantly researched writing will surely provide sustenance for those seeking meaty, narrative nonfiction.”

“Chomp” by Carl Hiaasen: “’Chomp’ is what happens when an animal takes a hunk out of its “owner.” Wahoo and his dad, Mickey, have had many such chomps because they’re animal wranglers–guys who loan their menagerie to TV and movie producers. Narrator James Van Der Beek delightfully captures the unique Cray family; Derek Badger, star of “Expedition Survivor”; and the people involved in so-called reality television. (Audiofile)

“Egg & Spoon” by Gregory Maguire: “Set in tsarist Russia, this story combines historical fiction and folklore and is told by a self-proclaimed ‘unreliable scribe’ who writes from within a tower prison…. Micharl Page especially shines as the story’s narrator. The character may be unreliable, but we believe his aged and patrician voice and hang on to his every measured word as he challenges us to ponder the nature of fate.” (Audiofile)

“Sally Ride: America’s First Woman in Space” by Lynn Sherr: “Narrator Pam Ward perfectly reflects the literary voice of author Lynn Sherr in this in-depth examination of the life of Sally Ride, America’s first female astronaut. Ward’s animated voice and varied pace suit the narrative, particularly the passages about Ride’s personal life. Because Sherr and Ride were longtime friends, the text comes off like an extended conversation, and Ward picks up that tone nicely.”

“Winger” by Andrew Smith: “Mark Boyett does a wonderful job narrating, especially Ryan Dean’s voice, which reveals his wild imagination, full-blown adolescent hormones, and self-deprecating humor. Other characters’ voices are equally believable.” (School Library Journal)

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

The Takoma-Langley Crossroads Transit Center stands on its own merit, but its value would be greatly enhanced if the Purple Line light rail is built.

As the literal midpoint of the proposed 21-station, 16-mile Purple Line, the Transit Center would be a hive of activity. Some people have suggested that a Silver Springlike redevelopment to emphasize density and walkability could occur.

But will we ever see a Purple Line? The answer is: probably. On June 25, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced that he supports the Purple Line, if it costs the State of Maryland less than current projections. This would require both cost savings and for Montgomery County and Prince George’s County to pay larger shares.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett (D) responded that the county could contribute $50 million more, if some conditions are met.

A great deal of negotiating is left to be done, not to mention property purchases, design, engineering, construction, and the prevailing over the inevitable lawsuits. Nothing is happening quickly, but it appears that, after months of uncertainty, the Purple Line is back on track.

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

Extensive details about the Takoma-Langley Crossroads Transit Center will be shared on July 14, when the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) hosts an open house at 6 p.m. and a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. The event will be at the Langley Park Community Center, 1500 Merrimac Drive in Hyattsville, less than a 10-minute walk from the Transit Center site.

The Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) will bring a model of the Transit Center and MTA and WMATA staff will explain the features of the facility.

“The open house will be a great opportunity for people to see how the Transit Center will look and the technologies that will be installed, such as route schedule notices,” says Erkin Ozberk, planner for the City of Takoma Park.

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

Drop-in basketball, drop-in futsal, and a fun place to hang out with friends – that’s the flavor of the Recreation Department’s new late night summertime teen program, called After Hours. The program, designed for young people ages 16 to 24, begins July 7 and runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 11 p.m. through Aug. 20. It will be held at the Takoma Park Recreation Center, at 7315 New Hampshire Ave.

Recreation Department staff are confident that young people will flock to this new opportunity: Local passion for basketball is already well established through the Y.E.S. Basketball League, which has been popular among youth, teens and young adults for more than 20 years. Futsal is another winner – this indoor soccer game, offered as a drop-in activity for the last five years, has averaged 30 to 40 participants each session. After Hours will alternate the two games: Tuesdays will feature basketball, and Thursdays will be futsal.

After Hours was created in partnership with the Takoma Park Police Department, and will not only offer safe, fun activity but will also provide teens and young adults strong, positive relationships with adults other than their parents. “There is a major need for an outlet amongst the youth in the community,” says Coach Adrienne Allen, who has been leading the Futsal drop-in program at the Recreation Center.

“This is exactly what every town needs, and I’m so happy Takoma Park is making it happen,” says Howard Kohn, an active city resident and member of the Recreation Committee. “The police should play a positive role in the lives of kids, same as other adults. As we know, it takes a village.”

After Hours is open to Takoma Park and Montgomery County residents and is free of charge, although registration is required. The Takoma Park Recreation Department is currently looking for people to staff the program. Applicants may apply at www.takomaparkmd.gov/hr. For more information about the program or job opportunity please contact Jurrel Cottman at 301-891-7296.

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

Residents and artists will mix on “stage” as the performance project, “New Hampshire Ave: This Is a Place To…,” is presented at the Takoma Park Recreation Center on Saturday, July 18 at 7 p.m. (July 19 in case of rain). Sponsored by Dance Exchange and the City of Takoma Park the free performance and community celebration will involve dance, music, art and storytelling inspired by what New Hampshire Ave is, was, and could be.

The evening will host the premiere of a new site-specific work along New Hampshire Ave, shaped largely by the contributions of local community members and partners and including reimagined sections of Liz Lerman’s landmark work, Still Crossing. The work will be performed by an intergenerational cast of Dance Exchange artists, New Hampshire Ave community members, and City of Takoma Park employees and officials. Dance Exchange enthusiastically invites interested New Hampshire Ave community members of all ages and backgrounds to join the performance by attending one of several dance and storytelling workshops on July 14 (4:30-6 p.m., Takoma Park Rec Center), July 15 (time and location TBD), OR July 16 (Dance Exchange Studios, 7-8:30 p.m.) as well as the dress rehearsal on July 17 (6-8:30 p.m., Takoma Park Recreation Center) and the performance on July 18 (5:30-8:30 p.m., Takoma Park Recreation Center). Performers and audience members of all ages and backgrounds will have the opportunity to explore and celebrate their own journeys to New Hampshire Ave by exploring the central questions of the piece: Where do you come from? What did you leave behind? What do you carry with you to this place?

The event on July 18 also brings Dance Exchange into continued collaboration with local installation artist Nicole Salimbene, painter Fetunwork Amedie, photographer Ben Carver, and multi-disciplinary artist Nguyen K. Nguyen. Together, these visual artists have been working to capture some of the unique faces, places and stories of the Avenue in a series of photo portraits, paintings and illustrations printed on banners and installed on the evening of the event to create a dynamic performance space. These banners, commissioned by Dance Exchange and sponsored by the City of Takoma Park, will appear after the event in public spaces along New Hampshire Ave.

Local musician and long-time Dance Exchange collaborator David Schulman will join the performance and engagement as well, in collaboration with local musicians Don Tillery and Mark H. Rooney. Inspired by the past, present and future of New Hampshire Avenue, the trio will weave together new compositions, recorded stories from New Hampshire Ave, and original music from Still Crossing.

Highlighting and honoring the people who contribute to the history, diversity, and vibrancy of the Avenue is at the heart of “New Hampshire Avenue: This Is a Place To… .” In September 2014, Dance Exchange hosted a one-day festival which served as the public premiere of the project and its signature “flock” of colorful wooden chairs, inspired by one of the City’s preexisting design initiatives. Throughout the project, people from all walks of life along the Avenue have gathered around these chairs for a series of artmaking workshops, community gatherings, and interviews which stretched from fall 2014 to spring 2015.

More than a central image for the project, these chairs have become a shared platform for community members and city leaders alike to express their celebrations, challenges, needs and goals for New Hampshire Avenue. And the “impact of working deeply with both those who live and work along New Hampshire Ave and those planners and officials from the City is already apparent,” notes Dance Exchange Artistic Director Cassie Meador, lead curator for “New Hampshire Ave: This Is a Place To… .” “By bringing a range of people into conversation about their contributions and hopes for the Avenue,” Meador explains, “we’re hoping this project creates connections that will live on after the project ends.”

“New Hampshire Ave: This Is a Place To…” is part of a competitive group of creative projects funded by the Our Town grant program of the National Endowment for the Arts and ArtPlace America, which are, according to Jamie L. Bennett, Executive Director of ArtPlace, having “a profound impact on the social, physical and economic futures of communities.” Acknowledging Dance Exchange’s groundbreaking legacy in creative placemaking, artists and community leaders from around the country and beyond will gather at Dance Exchange in the week leading up to the July 18 performance to learn more about Dance Exchange tools and practices and to join in creating the final performance as they consider implementing similar initiatives in their own communities.

The event is the public culmination of a community-building artistic effort presented by Dance Exchange in partnership with The New Ave, an initiative driven by the City of Takoma Park’s Office of Housing and Community Development.

For more information or to participate see www.danceexchange.org or contact Amanda, 301-270-6700.

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

For a project that combines beauty and functionality, “seats” were once again the theme for this year’s “reCYCLE” public art sculpture project sponsored by the Old Takoma Business Association.

Artists created innovative seats – from diving board benches to race car seats – that invite passersby to sit and soak up their community in 15 locations across Takoma Park, Md. and the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Since 2011, the Old Takoma Business Association has commissioned artists to create imaginative outdoor sculptures made from a portion of recycled materials. The sculptures then become landmarks in a self-guided walking tour of Takoma. Installation began on June 13, and the seats will be auctioned off in the fall

Local artist Blake Sloan has two benches in the Sit on the Art exhibit. They are made of reclaimed wood and feature boxes planted with herbs. “I hope it builds community and makes people think – hey I could grab a sprig of sage and rosemary and put it on my dinner tonight,” says Sloan.

Keep a look out for two stools with mosaic seats called “Eclectic Takoma Park” that were stolen less than a week after installation near the gazebo.

To see photos and a map of all the seats, go to the Main Street Takoma Facebook page.

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