Voice

EYE ON ANNAPOLIS: Md. Senate approves historic same-sex marriage bill, Gov. O’Malley to sign

Capital News Service — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:28:04 +0000

EYE ON ANNAPOLIS • TOM MCPARLAND, CNS A long time coming In an historic 25-22 vote Thursday night, the Maryland Senate approved a highly controversial same-sex marriage bill, sending it to the desk of Gov. Martin O’Malley for his signature. ...

PHOTOS: Scenes from the 2012 Wammies

Mark Podger — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:07:43 +0000

PHOTOS • BY MARK PODGER On February 19, Voice photographer Mark Podger ventured over the river to the State Theatre in Falls Church, Va., for the 26th Wammies, an annual award show hosted by the Washington Area Music Association. Enjoy ...

ECONOMY: Montgomery County mother and child need $64,000 for basic costs

Capital News Service — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:19:19 +0000

ECONOMY • BY AMALIA EHRMANN, CNS Special Report Families with young children in Montgomery County must earn at least $64,000 a year just to cover their basic needs without government aid — about a 50 percent increase over the past ...

ECONOMY: Across Maryland, bare-bones household budgets soar above salaries

Capital News Service — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:44:54 +0000

ECONOMY • BY CAITLIN JOHNSTON and CARL STRAUMSHEIM, CNS Special Report A Montgomery County family of three — an adult, a preschooler and a school-age child — needs about $78,000 just to make ends meet, a new report shows. And, ...

INTERNET: Cybersecurity Center planned in Montgomery County

Capital News Service — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:25:16 +0000

INTERNET • BY VARUN SAXENA, CNS In an effort to fight what Sen. Barbara Mikulski described as the “new enduring war” against “hate-hackers,” Maryland officials announced Thursday a plan to create the National Cyber Center of Excellence for Cyber Security ...

EYE ON ANNAPOLIS: Md. Senate Committee votes 7-4 to advance same-sex marriage bill

Capital News Service — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:53:50 +0000

EYE ON ANNAPOLIS • BY TOM MCPARLAND, CNS A Senate panel voted 7-4 Tuesday to advance same-sex marriage legislation to the entire chamber, where members hope to move on it quickly, but the possibility of a filibuster remains. The vote ...

BIZ BUZZ: The beer is near! 3 Stars Brewing Co. sets up shop in Takoma D.C.

Sarah Kraut — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:04:05 +0000

The Washington, D.C. flag’s iconic combination of three stars and two bars, with its roots originating in George Washington’s coat of arms, has long been an inspiring symbol of pride for our nation’s capital. It also served as the inspiration ...

SPORT REPORT: Blair Basketball bounds to Maryland State Playoffs

Teighler Doak — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:42:37 +0000

SPORT REPORT • BY TEIGHLER DOAK Even though Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, the winter sports regular season of 2011-2012 is quickly drawing to a close. Despite the Pennsylvania icon’s powers of prognostication, he’d be hard-pressed to predict playoff outcomes ...

PHOTOS: Mid-Winter Folk Festival at Takoma Park Middle School

Mark Podger — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:57:05 +0000

PHOTOS • BY MARK PODGER On February 4, the Folklore Society of Greater Washington celebrated its annual mid-winter mini fest on the site of the iconic Takoma Park Folk Festival, held in September. Takoma Park Middle School was invaded by ...

TRANSPORTATION: Montgomery County budget recommendation could leave Metropolitan Branch Trail in limbo

kirstygroff — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:23:20 +0000

TRANSPORTATION • BY KIRSTY GROFF Metropolitan Branch Trail work in Montgomery County could be delayed indefinitely, if Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett’s budget recommendations are approved by the council. In the recommended capital budget for fiscal year 2013 as well ...

EDUCATION: Advocates and opponents of in-state tuition bill gearing up for November

Capital News Service — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:02:38 +0000

EDUCATION • BY MIKE BOCK, CNS While Barack Obama and his Republican opponent will capture national headlines this November, Maryland voters will turn their attention to in-state policy disputes, like 2011′s In-State Tuition Bill, also known as the DREAM Act. ...

CONGRESS: Federal pension change divides Maryland Congressional Delegation on payroll tax cut

Capital News Service — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:57:16 +0000

CONGRESS • BY MARK MILLER, CNS Eight of the 10 members of Maryland’s congressional delegation voted Friday to reject a bipartisan compromise on extending the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, with leading Democratic members criticizing the legislation’s cuts to ...

EYE ON ANNAPOLIS: Victory! — Md. House narrowly approves same-sex marriage

Capital News Service — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:11:09 +0000

EYE ON ANNAPOLIS • BY TOM MCPARLAND, CNS [View the story "Md. Same-Sex Marriage" on Storify] After a year of highly contested debate and political wrangling, the Maryland General Assembly is poised to become the third state legislature this month ...

GRANOLAPARK: Hot potatoes

Gilbert — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:43:19 +0000

GRANOLAPARK • GILBERT Dear Readers, The entire Takoma Park city council is in physical therapy. They all threw their backs out trying to lift the Takoma Junction Task Force report. In other words, it’s big. And it is heavy lifting ...

EYE ON ANNAPOLIS: House again delays vote on same-sex marriage

Capital News Service — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:40:21 +0000

EYE ON ANNAPOLIS • BY TOM MCPARLAND, CNS Shortly after a debate on same-sex marriage legislation was again postponed Thursday morning, Gov. Martin O’Malley met privately with House Speaker Michael E. Busch, D-Anne Arundel. Afterward, O’Malley would not comment on ...

AT HOME IN SILVER SPRING: Preserving a sense of place (The paths of preservation, part 2)

Steve Knight and Karen Burditt — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:06:45 +0000

AT HOME IN SILVER SPRING • BY STEVE KNIGHT AND KAREN BURDITT Last month our column focused on the two types of historic preservation familiar to most of us, namely, museum quality preservation of historically significant landmark buildings and preservation ...

COMMUNITY: A city that plays together stays together

admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:38:22 +0000

COMMUNITY • PHOTOS BY JAY KELLER Thursday, Feb. 9 marked both Play Day and Zip Code Day (2/09/12) for Takoma Park. Under the fun-loving leadership of Pat Rumbaugh and a host of volunteers, community members of all ages gathered at ...

COMMUNITY: Scenes from the Father-Daughter Dance

admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:12:51 +0000

COMMUNITY • PHOTOS BY HEATHER MAYES GLEASON On Saturday, Feb. 11, Girl Scout Troop 4672 once again hosted the Father-Daughter Dance at the Takoma Park Presbyterian Church. This event drew hundreds of well-heeled toe tappers, creating memories that will evoke ...

MUSIC: Wammies preview

amandaziadeh — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 04:42:15 +0000

MUSIC • BY AMANDA ZIADEH Who really cares about the Grammys? On Sunday, Feb. 19, LOCAL guitar heroes will compete for the chance of winning a Wammie at the 26th Annual Washington Area Music Awards. Takoma Park — with nominees ...

ENVIRONMENT: Salisbury company banking on wind farms to create jobs

Capital News Service — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:38:21 +0000

ENVIRONMENT • BY AMANDA YEAGER, CNS Depending on whom you ask, John Congedo has poured his energy and savings either into one of Maryland’s most promising sources of economic growth or a boondoggle that would raise energy bills and squander ...