| KHCA is a non-partisan neighborhood organization dedicated to representing the interests of all homeowners and residents of the Kensington Heights neighborhood in maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in our community
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>> COVID-19 Comes to Maryland
By Karen Cordry, KHCA President
We were working on this newsletter at the beginning of March with the above image and my suggestion was going to be “be polite and observe normal flu season hygiene -- don’t cough in your neighbor’s face, muffle any sneezes in your sleeve, and wash your hands early and often.” I ended by saying there were no recommendations to change your routines – but to be alert for news.
So, there certainly has been news since then (and that newsletter ended up being set aside for a bit, but now we’re back!) We’ve all been practicing “distancing” to help slow and contain how big the outbreak could be a major disaster if left unchecked. What we know right now is that none of us know precisely when it will be brought under control, but we need to follow the science if we want it sooner than later.
For those who like numbers, a good website to visit is Worldometers. It updates continuously and tells you by country, how many total cases and how many new cases and deaths there is each day. It’s mind-numbing and scary, but it can help see if we are reaching the peak. China is already past, and Italy and Spain, which have been devastated by the disease, both see new cases and deaths slowing.
We haven’t seen that in the U.S. yet – our new cases are still going up and by a bigger number every day but that does represent exposures a few days to a couple of weeks ago, so hopefully, the protective measures we’re taking will begin having an effect. That includes the new recommendation to wear masks, at least when you are going into stores or other places where you will be closer to others. Everyone from Jo-Ann’s Fabric to your best friend has directions for making your own cloth mask, so take your pick. The one thing not to do is to try to grab the “N-95” masks – let’s reserve those for our heroic medical folks and first responders who really do have to get “up close and personal” with the sick. The rest of us need to use masks to supplement the effect of keeping our distance. It’s not time to let up yet; we know that if we don’t take those steps, we’ll see significant outbreaks (like in New Orleans after Mardi Gras and Florida after spring break), but they can work.
In the meantime, if you need help with any aspect of the situation, from health information to job loss to options for obtaining food to the meaning of “stay at home” orders, the County’s one-stop website is a great resource.
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>> Physical Distancing -- Social Connections!
So, enough of all this talk about “social distancing!” We prefer the alternative someone suggested – “physical distancing and social connections.” The last thing we want to do in the midst of this crisis is let it destroy all of the social bonds within our community, so let’s take all of the great ideas people have been suggesting and roll them into a great set of connections.
BEAR HUNTS. How about everyone find your best bear (or puppy, or dolphin, or penguin – your choice) and plop it in your front window for everyone to find and notch on their list.
SPRING LIGHTS. It’s obviously too late for “Christmas” lights, but no reason we can’t liven things up again with “Spring Lights” (which is super easy for those of us who never took all of them down!) Let’s see who has the best display.
GARDENS! It used to be that “April showers bring May flowers,” but with climate change, March showers and a warm winter already have a lot of front yards up and showing off their bright faces. So, tour your neighborhood for what’s blooming.
We’re going to try to get the newsletter out more frequently now that we’re back on track. Look forward in our next edition for us to start some contests with respect to those activities – most bears spotted, most spectacular spring lights, prettiest garden shot – just wait and see!
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| >> Costco Documentary is Out
For all of those who lived through the eight long years of the fight over the proposed Costco gas station fight, you may remember one omnipresent figure – John Echave, who filmed events throughout the saga. Well, after a few more years of editing, he has now completed the film – “A Grassroots Movement Grows Into a Forest” and it’s available for all of us to view right here, the password is Costco. John has submitted the film to Silver Docs with the hope that it will be accepted as one of their documentary films (but we won’t know about that until May 2020 or maybe later if all of this disruption delays things). Eventually, we may try to have a general showing and celebration, but in the meantime, you can enjoy seeing what KCHA (and its neighbors) could accomplish when we all worked together!
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| >> Support KHCA -- Pay Your Annual Dues
To carry out our many activities, KHCA needs your support -- both through your volunteer efforts and also, your financial donations. All residents of Kensington Heights are members of KHCA, and all members are welcome to attend and speak at KHCA meetings. However, to be a voting member, and to help support our activities on your behalf, KH residents are asked to pay annual dues of $10 per adult resident (18+ years) to a maximum of $30 per address. These monies are much appreciated and help to ensure that KHCA remains financially viable. Payment can be made online using the membership link on our website. Thank you!
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| >> Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Updates
In KHCA, we are continuing to push the County to carry out promised studies on traffic speeds and volumes on Drumm, Hobson, St. Paul, the west end of McComas and Farragut Avenue. Our primary concern is to Arrive at a better solution for traffic In the area affected by the “Do Not Enter” sign that the Town of Kensington (“TOK”) posted on St. Paul at Perry Street to keep out cut-through traffic from University Boulevard. But, since Farragut curves around and intersects St. Paul below Perry Street, all that traffic just uses Farragut to bypass the sign. As a result, those on Farragut and Glenway face huge traffic volumes on a narrow, curvy, and hilly street totally unsuited for that impact. (COVID-19 may have cured the problem now, but that really is a case of a “cure being worse than the disease.”)
The County promised last fall that it would do the studies and eventually said in early March to move ahead (but now those too are being held up until we are back to normal traffic patterns). We’re not sure there is a perfect solution for the problem, but we want to be working from a common information base when we, the TOK, and the County sit down to look at options. We’ll keep you posted.
KHCA President, Karen Cordry, is an appointed member (on behalf of the Montgomery County Civic Federation) of the citizen’s advisory board for the County’s work in developing a Pedestrian Master Plan. Visit the website with all of the documents and background information the Committee will be working with. Over the next two years or so, the County will be working on its plan to improve and expand pedestrian infrastructure, including auditing current sidewalks, paths, and trails for condition, safety, accessibility and more. The County did a similar Bicycle Master Plan and is looking at reengineering roadways to make them safer for those who not using cars, trucks, and buses. All of this is part of the County’s commitment to the Vision Zero concept – a goal of zero pedestrian and bike fatalities. There’s a lot more to be done since the rate has not yet started to come down despite a lot of effort to date. Distracted walking (and driving) has a lot to do with it – so, remember, put down the cell phones and keep your eyes on the road and others while you’re out and about.
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COMMUNITY NEWS & CALENDAR
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| >> Other Montgomery County News
>> Montgomery County Civic Federation Meeting
APRIL 13, 2020 – General Meeting, via Zoom 7:45-9:45 PM
The April meeting will be a first for MCCF – we will be doing it via Zoom with County Budget Director Rich Madaleno. Rich used to be our State Senator, but was named by County Executive Marc Elrich, and tasked with the thankless job of helping draft and implement the almost $6 billion dollar operating budget and $14 billion dollar capital budget for the county (and helping find money to fund all those programs).
This year’s budget was going to be tight even before the impact of COVID-19; it’s going to be even more of a challenge with all of the disruptions the virus has thrown up. If you’re interested in where the County is headed, this is your chance to hear directly from the most knowledgeable person out there and to watch some tough questions from others – and you won’t even have to leave your living room to find out.
Please click here to access the current newsletter and get information about logging in to the Zoom meeting – please join us!
The March meeting (one of the last public events before we all went into lockdown) was an open forum with new Montgomery Police Chief Maurice Jones. The program began with a presentation by the Chief about his first few months on the job (which included having to appoint all of the top four officers under him, due to his promotion and retirements) and other initiatives he’s working on. He then answered a wide range of audience questions including how police are interacting with the community, with the schools, and much more. Details of the discussion are in the minutes of the meeting posted on the MCCF website, p. 18.
>> Wheaton Gateway Project Update
We have mentioned before that there is a project in the works across from the Westfield Wheaton Mall where the Ambassador Hotel, Mattress Firm, and Lindsay Ford businesses were located. The plan is for a major mixed-income residential development, with commercial space and accessible public spaces. About 30% are expected to be lower-priced units and the rest targeting higher-income tenants so that the overall rental income will help the project be self-sufficient. If you’ve been on University Blvd. recently, you will see that the site is being rapidly cleared and the project will be moving apace. If you would like to see the most recent update, it's available here. An archive with all of their prior updates can be seen on their website. Between that project and the almost completed Park and Planning building in the Wheaton Triangle, the skyline of Wheaton is changing a lot – and both will make a big difference in the downtown bustle when they open.
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History Chair: open
Safety Chair: open
**Elections were held in November 2019.
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