You're Invited to the 33rd Takoma Park Folk Festival!

Since its inception in 1978, the Takoma Park Folk Festival has been a community affair, organized by volunteers from the Takoma Park area.

This one-day FREE festival showcases the local talent of the Washington, D.C. area and features all kinds of music, dance, crafts, children's entertainment, and food.

The Festival runs from 11 am to 6:30 pm, rain or shine, and is FREE to all!

It will take place at the Takoma Park Middle School, 7611 Piney Branch Rd, Takoma Park, MD (map and directions) on Sunday September 12, 2010.

For more information, click here.

2010 Census – “Everybody Counts”

The Trachtenberg Office joined County Executive Isiah Leggett, Council President Nancy Floreen, former members of Congress and co-chairs of the County Executive’s 200-member Census Complete Count Committee, Connie Morella and Mike Barnes, Councilmember Nancy Navarro and a host of elected officials and community leaders at three community rallies across Montgomery County to encourage support of the 2010 U.S. Census. Somerset Mayor Jeffrey Slavin and Washington Grove Mayor Darrell Anderson were also present.

The Census 2010 rallies were held in Gaithersburg, Wheaton and at the Takoma -Langley Park Crossroads area to encourage Montgomery County residents to fill out their 2010 Census Forms.

At the first rally at Gaithersburg City Hall, Mayor Sidney Katz, Gaithersburg Council Vice President Cathy C. Drzyzgula, and Councilmember Michael Sesma proudly welcomed County Executive Leggett to the City and called on residents to support the Census. In his remarks to the crowd, the County Executive declared that “everybody counts” and that filling out the Census form would result in more federal dollars to the County for important public services.

At the second rally at the Westfield Wheaton Shopping Center, the tour joined with local representatives of Casa de Maryland, the Latino Economic Development Corporation, and Neighbor Works to encourage residents to support the Census. At the final rally in Takoma – Langley Crossroads, the bus tour was met by festive music and colorful dancers who entertained the crowd before the official remarks.

The Trachtenberg Office was represented by Naomi Bloch and our Chief of Staff, Alan Bowser. We wish to thank Bruce Adams of the Office of Community Partnerships and Kathleen Boucher, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for Montgomery County for their tireless efforts in organizing the tour and County’s 2010 Census program.

To view more rally pictures, click here.

Community Bridges: Montgomery County Council Recognizes Ana Lopez

Ana Lopez, executive director of the Community Bridges program that works with girls ages eight to 15 from low-income, predominantly immigrant families in Silver Spring and Takoma Park, was recently recognized by the Montgomery County Council after she was named winner of the Agnes Meyer Foundation Exponent Award. The award celebrates visionary nonprofit leaders and presents a $100,000 grant to the recipient’s organization for leadership development.

At the ceremonies in Rockville on November 24 were, left to right: Councilmembers Valerie Ervin and Nancy Floreen, Ms. Lopez, and Councilmembers Nancy Navarro and Duchy Trachtenberg.

The "New" New Hampshire Avenue

The Trachtenberg Office joined a group of representatives from Takoma Park and State, County and local officials to tour the area related to the New Hampshire Avenue Corridor Concept Plan. The plan proposes:

Rebuilding New Hampshire Avenue as a multi-use boulevard with pedestrian and bike friendly design;

Mixed-use redevelopment of commercial properties and infill development on some institutional and multi-family properties;

Improved access to transportation;

Consolidate pedestrian commercial activity around Sheridan Street and the stoplight south of Ethan Allan Avenue, and other "squared" intersections;

A family style pub at Sligo Creek Parkway;

Restore natural areas, improve parks, and use the New Ave to slow and filter rain events before the water washes debris into the creek

Check out their website at http://www.thenewave.com/