Celebrating 164 years of service! Vol. 164, No. 11 • 50¢ SINCE 1855 August 23 -August 29, 2018 TODAY’S GAS Floreen makes the cut PRICE $2.91 per gallon BOE certifies Floreen to run as an Independent in county executive race Last Week (D-at large) would win the primary, $2.92 per gallon By Neal Earley @neal_earley Floreen announced her intent to run A month ago and switched her party affliliation $2.92 per gallon Independent candidate for from Democrat to independent. Montgomery County Executive Nan- Floreen said she is running be- A year ago cy Floreen will appear on the No- cause voters should have a third $2.37 per gallon vember ballot, after the Board of choice besides Elrich and Republican Elections approved her petition candidate Robin Ficker. AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON OF UNLEADED REGULAR GAS IN Wednesday. MARYLAND/D.C. METRO AREA ACCORDING TO AAA Floreen, who filed her intent to *** run for County Executive as an inde- INSIDE pendent candidate in July, needed at Republican candidate for Coun- least 7,255 valid signatures from reg- ty Executive Robin Ficker released istered voters for her name to appear his first campaign video. on the ballot in November. Ficker, who ran unopposed in After Floreen turned in more the Republican Primary, said the two- Editor’s than 20,000 signatures on Aug. 6, the minute campaign video he released Board of Elections certified more on YouTube Tuesday is about begin- Notebook than 13,000 of them, meaning she ning to message his campaign around had more than enough to qualify to several themes: his previously suc- by Brian J. Karem appear on the ballot. cessful referendum campaigns and “I want to thank the Board of taking a shot at the status quo. Elections for being thorough and pa- “My opponents have been in of- tient throughout the process," she fice for over a decade, but what has Sympathy said. truly changed?” Ficker asked in the This petition drive was historic,” campaign ad. for the Devil Floreen said in a statement. “The de- Ficker said the ad is part of one mand for a more-inclusive choice of the key talking points of his cam- was fueled by more than 20,000 peo- From the cheap seats at a paign — the two charter amendments ple in less than a month. We’ve un- Trump Rally one can still he helped pass via County referen- leashed widespread community sup- hear good rock n’ roll. dum, something that he hopes will port. There’s an obvious and clear de- Page 4 connect with voters’ discontent with sire for balanced, non-partisan County government. leadership for the County.” “The theme of my campaign is Floreen, a four-term at-large that I delivered on the two most im- member of the County Council, portant changes in the Montgomery shocked many with her announce- County government since 2000,” ment that she would run for County Ficker said about his two ballot ini- Executive. Floreen, who has spent tiatives passed via referendum. her entire time on the County Council The inspiration for Ficker’s as a member of the Democratic Party, campaign video came from perhaps a opted not to run in the Democratic surprising place. Ficker said his ad Primary for County Executive, in- was inspired by Democratic candi- stead choosing to endorse former date for New York’s 14th Congres- Rockville Mayor Rose Krasnow. FILE PHOTO When it appeared that fellow See “Ficker,” Nancy Floreen is all smiles after the Board of Elections certified more than The Polo County Council member Marc Elrich page 8 13,000 signatures on a petition to put her on the ballot as an independent Grounds candidate for County Executive. Congressional’s polo tourney comes to an exciting Local activists resist widening of I-495 and I-270 conclusion. She can see the Capital Beltway along Interstate 495 and Interstate teries. By Suzanne Pollak page 24 @SuzannePollak from her yard, and if she doesn’t 270 and the Baltimore-Washington The Rockville City Council, in keep her bedroom windows closed, Parkway involve spending $9 bil- a letter signed by Mayor Bridget Anne Fox just wants to stay in she can hear the traffic. lion in a public-private partnership. Donnell Newton, urged the state her Chevy Chase home of 46 years, She loves her house, for which Of the 15 proposals put forth by the “not to widen the physical footprint but that may not be possible if the she paid $39,500, and the memo- State Highway Administration, of I-270” or do anything that would State Highway Administration’s ries she made there. “This is a very only some involve using eminent result in eminent domain of private plan to widen Interstate 495 comes nice neighborhood. Everybody is domain on nearby houses. One of property. to fruition. very friendly,” she said. the proposals involves doing noth- In the most extreme lane plan, Fox lives on Kensington Park- The plans of Gov. Larry Hogan ing, but several include adding four way in North Chevy Chase Village. (R) to ease the area’s traffic woes more lanes to the already major ar- See “Activists ,” page 8 2THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL AUGUST 23, 2018 EFLECTIONS The Montgomery County Sentinel, published weekly by Berlyn Inc. Publish- R ing, is a community newspaper covering Montgomery County, Maryland. Our of- fices are located at 22 W. Jefferson August 3, 1984 Street, Suite 309, Rockville, MD 20850. Founded in 1855 by Matthew Fields. All mail to: P.O. Box 1272, Rockville, MD 20849-1272. Subscription Rates for The Metro construction threatens Bethesda neighborhood Montgomery County Sentinel – Weekly by mail: $40.00 per year & $26.50 for Se- Each week the Sentinel visits a “It’s a cozy neighborhood place. Hite said, is that the County These guys come in, grab a beer nior Citizens. (USPS) 361-100. memorable story from its archives. People like familiar places. promised to study the possibility and talk about the latest game.” “You know, it’s the last neigh- of incorporating a new McDon- “We really need these small Bernard Kapiloff Cheers, the comfortable borhood bar in Bethesda. To the ald’s Raw Bar in the vast parking local places,” said Johnson who PUBLISHER E MERITUS Boston bar of television fame, has last of us, it’s like a historical land- complex. “There’s a chance we started frequenting the Raw Bar Lynn G. Kapiloff had its lease renewed for another mark.” could build a new Raw Bar in the with his bowling team in 1956. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/ year. McDonald’s Raw Bar on Old Despite the Raw Bar’s signifi- garage, but it will never been the “When I first started coming PUBLISHER Georgetown Road, a favorite of cance in the hearts of its patrons, same.” here, we always sat back there.” [email protected] county residents for 37 years, has last December Montgomery Coun- Raw Bar patrons want it to He pointed to a small Formica Mark Kapiloff not been so lucky. ty exercised eminent-domain pow- stay the same-the same as it has table in the back corner next to ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER It is operating on borrowed ers and forced owners Tom and been since Evelyn McDonald and coat rack and the kitchen door. [email protected] time. Evelyn McDonald Hite to sell. her brother opened for business in “Now we’re up here, at Table The property on which the The Hite’s son, Tim, who is 1949. Over the years, the business One.” EDITORIAL building stands has been designed currently manager and bartender has attracted those who share a Table One is only slightly Brian J. Karem as a parking garage for the Clark of the Raw Bar, explained that, as common love of beer, seafood and larger and no more elegant, but it is EXECUTIVE EDITOR [email protected] Building, under a massive revital- part of the agreement of sale, the sports. positioned to have easy access to ization plan for downtown Bethes- County will give three-months’ As Chris Stevens, bartender the bar and a clear view of the Brandy L. Simms da, so loyal patrons cling to their notice of eviction. for three-and-a-half years, put it, door. “For years this table was re- SPORTS EDITOR mugs and await the wrecker’s ball. “Every time we open our “It doesn’t matter if you’re the served for the same guy. He came [email protected] doors for business, we know we vice president of a bank or pump all the time; everybody knew him. “It’s a shame; it sure is,” said MARK ROBINSON Kal Johnson, a regular patron of have another 90 days,” he said. gas at the Sunoco station, when In fact, he had his heart attack right [email protected] the Raw Bar for almost 30 years. Another condition of the sale, you’re in here, you’re all the same. at this table last fall.” CITY EDITOR BARBARA TRAININ BLANK COPY EDITOR NEAL EARLEY NEWS [email protected] Takoma Park releases details of newest city budget ASSIGNMENTS George Smith property tax rate of $0.5291 per $100 Fund expenditures of which $1.9 PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR By Nickolai Sukharev funding the city government from million will be allocated for streets Write us @Nickolaiss TAZEEN AHMAD July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. and sidewalks. CALENDAR EDITOR TAKOMA PARK — After it The property tax rate, which Staffing is expected to increase The Montgomery County Sentinel [email protected] was passed by the City Council in was lower than the initial $0.5348 by approximately 3.5 positions, welcomes letters.