County students in grades six through 12 can win up to $750 in a contest seeking video public service announcements about the dangers of vaping. Healthy Montgomery, the county’s community health improvement program, and Montgomery County Public Schools are cosponsoring the contest as part of an anti-vaping tobacco prevention campaign in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services.
We at the Source would like to wish all of our readers a Happy Thanksgiving wherever you may be spending the day. After the holiday, there’s and rescue animal adoption event Sunday in Takoma Park as well as a piano concert, and Cup Scout Pack 23 begins a Toys for Tots drive in Silver Spring. Levine Music hosts a blues jam on Wednesday, followed by a comedy show Thursday at Busboys and Poets. And please remember to shop small this Saturday at your favorite local stores.
The county’s Planning Department has launched a Pedestrian Level of Comfort Map to help evaluate the public’s comfort level when walking along sidewalks, pathways and trails, and through street crossings. The online, interactive map includes the department’s scoring of local pedestrian networks, which are rated from “unacceptable” up to “very comfortable.”
The county has announced its schedule of closures for Thanksgiving Day Thursday, Nov. 28. All county offices, libraries and liquor stores will be closed, as will state offices and courts.
Krazy Steve’s Comfort Cuisine will launch a weekend brunch buffet this Saturday and Sunday as a way to reboot the business after an admittedly difficult start, according to owner Stephen Adelson. Adelson, aka Krazy Steve, talked this week about some of the issues that arose after taking over the space at 1909 Seminary Rd. that formerly housed Armand’s Chicago Pizzeria.
The annual county Thanksgiving parade on Saturday highlights the week leading up to the holiday. The night before, join the D.C. Blues Society at the 4th Friday happy hour at the American Legion, which hosts a comedy show the next night. AstroLab Brewing will sponsor a holiday craft market on Sunday. On Monday, residents interested in pedestrian safety in Silver Spring are invited to attend a briefing on the issue. The final Crossroads farmers market of the season on Wednesday will include holiday-themed music and fun, with lunch featuring Takoma Park Mayor Kate Stewart.
The county is looking for volunteers to assist with various aspects of the annual Thanksgiving parade this Saturday, Nov. 23. Volunteers must be at least 13 or older and plan to meet at the civic building, then expect to remain at the parade site from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Opportunities include dressing up in costumes as elves or pilgrims to ride on floats, as penguins or reindeer to walk in the parade, to walk along and handle balloons and other inflatables, or act as unit leaders.
Don Pollo Peruvian Chicken is not coming to Ellsworth Place, contrary to what was previously reported elsewhere. However, Don Pollo—Pollo al la Brasa, will open in the space formerly occupied by Noodles & Co., according to Bryan Ramos of Retail22, who brokered the lease agreement with the mall’s owner, GBT Realty.
The newest commissioner on the Montgomery County Planning Board refers to himself as “the accidental candidate” when talking about his appointment. Partap Verma, who joined the board in July, looks at this as a natural transformation from work he began after moving to the Forest Glen area in 2013. His priorities include pedestrian safety, affordable housing, and the upcoming Silver Spring master plan process.