A number of local officials accepted a challenge from the Action Committee for Transit to spend the week of June 10-17 using only public transit, or active modes of transportation such as biking, walking or scooters, to travel around the county. The Source asked one of those participants, Councilmember Hans Riemer (D-At Large), who lives in Takoma Park, what he thought of the experience, and here is his report.
Urban Butcher is back this week to its regular operating hours with a new look and a new menu. The restaurant has added new starter dishes and seafood entrées while retaining many of the familiar beef offerings. The restaurant opens at 5 p.m. daily except Monday, with happy hour for 5-7:30 p.m.
The Silver Spring Jazz Festival will go on this summer after all, thanks largely to community feedback in reaction to a Source story about its apparent demise in favor of a series of smaller events. The festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 24 and the list of performers will be released in a few weeks. In the meantime, the Thursday Summer Concert Series is back next week.
The grand opening of District Taco in the Blair Park Shopping Center on East-West Highway will be held at noon Monday, July 1. A portion of the day’s profits will go to Level the Playing Field, a Silver Spring-based nonprofit that provides sports equipment to underprivileged youth in the area. The first 100 customers in line will receive a goodie bag and a free meal.
It will be dejá vu for Silver Spring commuters headed for the Paul Sarbanes Transit Center as fencing is installed, cutting off some sidewalk access in preparation for Purple Line construction. Metro and bus riders will need to go around the perimeter, or access upper levels from Ramsey Avenue or Bonifant Street as construction will start this summer.
Applications are now being accepted to fill five vacancies on the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board, according to an announcement from County Executive Marc Elrich. The 18-member board serves as a liaison between the community and the executive’s office. Applicants must live within the boundaries of the Silver Spring Regional Center and can apply online.
“We’re getting very close,” promised Meg Kavanagh, marketing manager for District Taco, about opening a new store in the Blair Park Shopping Center on East-West Highway. A few lingering construction issues stand in the way of scheduling a grand opening, which should be soon.
The Silver Spring Civic Building was buzzing with activity this past Sunday. On the second level, the faces of the Silver Spring Time Bank volunteers greeted visitors. What wasn’t picked up in the exchange was donated to CREATE Arts Center.
The first lease for a tenant at Solaire 8250 Georgia has been signed with HSBC Bank USA, according to Charles Nulsen III, president of the project’s developer, Washington Property Co. Other potential tenants have signed letters of intent.