October 19, 2018 A Biweekly Newspaper October 19, 2018 • Volume XIV, Number 16 Plans for New Grocery Store and Dunkin’ Donuts Face Delays By Rande Davis The anticipated fall 2018 developments of Dunkin’ Donuts in the shopping center that hosts Sometimes the winner in a golf the Subway, and the Chevy Chase tournament is the best-dressed grocery store to be built next to Tractor player! See more pics in Family Supply, both face delays of at least Album on page 2. six months. In the case of Dunkin’ Donuts, the delay is a result of awaiting final state approval for the site storm water plan. Once the state submits its approval, the owner will have to await the approval of the county for the plan. While it is always difficult to estimate the degree of delay, the town expects at least a three-to-six-month post- ponement before breaking ground. The location of a proposed Dunkin’ Donuts for Poolesville. Concerning the anticipated grocery, town manager Wade Yost cites that has resulted in the timing to break M&T Bank as a temporary site while Gray Dobbs of the shopping center’s ground no sooner than this coming awaiting construction of the grocery management team reported that a spring, and not until summer. In the store. The plan would be to use the PES Principal Robbins rides a bike long-term lease has been negotiated meantime, the owner of the grocery, pop-up site to gauge public interests with spirit. Find out why in Tidbits for the grocery store, but an unantici- Jason Karsch, is considering opening a and desires while working on the final on page 6. pated change in architecture contracts “pop-up” store in the space next to plan for the store. Ghosts of the Canal By Jon Wolz I read with great interest Rande banks of the Potomac River. I have Davis’s “The Ghosts of the Monocacy” admired the Native American fish in the October 5 edition of the Monocacy traps in the Potomac River. I have Monocle. I spend many hours in the observed the stone foundation ruins of woods of Maryland, including walk- buildings along the hillside at the ing on the towpath at the C&O Canal mouth of the Monocacy River along National Historical Park. I enjoy hav- with spring daffodils. The first Euro- ing company as I walk; however, at pean settlement occurred there in the The mother of Fran Ichijo was times, I walk alone. I often wonder early 1700s led by Swiss prospector surprised by the recognition for about and look for clues from the past: Louis Michel. her support of Fran and the Hope Cretaceous period (100 million years When I walk the towpath along the Garden Ballet. More pics on page 12. ago) worm holes in the stones of C&O Canal, I notice where the dirt the ruins of the 1876 bridge at White’s was thrown as the canal was being dug Ferry and fossils from the Devonian by hand in the early 1830s. Sometimes period (400 million years ago). I have I see an earthen wall covered with been startled by nearby bucks snorting trees and underbrush on the berm side then jumping and splashing across the (opposite side) of the towpath. At canal in pursuit of a doe. I have jumped times the dirt was used to create the at the sound of a great blue heron towpath when the berm side was com- cawing several feet above me in a prised of cliffs that kept the water in One stop on the Countryside Artisans Ghostly images along tree. I have wondered what Native the canal when the river was close to Tour is in Beallsville. Find out who the C&O Canal. in Center Stage on page 18. Americans may have walked along the Continued on page 25. Page 2 The Monocacy Monocle October 19, 2018 Family Album Jill Chadwick, Jan Jones Angel, and Dan Seamans. Enjoying the hospitality at the RWRC annual fundraiser: Thomas Dillingham, Sarah Nichols, Lions District Governor Andrea Margie and Ed Atkins, with David Drake, joined Audrey and Shannon Dillingham Keeper, Patsy Cumberland is greeted by Monocacy Walt Prichard (seated) at the GOP Women's dinner. Lion Bruce Wooden. Dillingham, and Jackie Kinzie. Monocacy Lions Peter Gallo and Bill Jamison (left) presented a certificate Honoring past presidents of the Rural Women’s to the winning team at its annual golf tournament: George Coakley, Republican Club: Bonnie Anthony, Dorinne Armstrong, Stan Manstof, Mike Connors, and Sandy Holdahl. Jill Chadwick, and Audrey Prichard with Patsy Dillingham. Margie Schultz and Sharon Bauer welcomed guests to the Rural Women’s Sharon Bauer (President RWRC), House of Delegate candidates Republican Club’s annual Saturday Night in the Country, a fundraising Marc King, Laurie Halverson, Harvey Jacobs, Amie Hoeber (Congress), event for WUMCO, scholarships, and other many good causes. and David Wilson (State Senate). October 19, 2018 The Monocacy Monocle Page 3 Page 4 The Monocacy Monocle October 19, 2018 on the Montgomery County Council, discussion with questions for an hour Commentary and I believe generally unanimous, Local News and fifteen minutes. Each candidate or at least no councilmember has will have two minutes to answer each taken on the cause of advocating for question. The last ten minutes will be Loudoun County it. Will this remain true? The composi- Key Candidate divided among the candidates evenly Plays the Long Game tion of the council is changing (three minutes apiece), and they will significantly in this election. Of nine Forums Scheduled end by answering the question: “Why By John Clayton councilmembers, assuming the Demo- For Town Hall I am running for office and why I can crats in our one-party county all best make the future better for the Democrats and Republicans in By Rande Davis Washington, and elsewhere, are not win, three at-large members and Western County.” In the last week of October, the getting along. Drivers flout the law by Poolesville’s District 1 member will be Then on Thursday evening, October Poolesville Area Chamber of Com- talking and texting on cellphones. replaced. How do these new members 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Poolesville Town merce and the Town of Poolesville Poolesville Memorial United Method- get educated on the importance of Hall, representatives from the PACC will sponsor candidate forums for ist Church sold Walking Tacos on the Ag Reserve? Can we assume will moderate a panel forum for the candidates running for town commis- Poolesville Day. The sun rises in the they already value it enough to strong- candidates running for town commis- sioner and Montgomery County east and sets in the west. Somewhere, ly resist? How strongly will our sioner. Jim Brown will be running executive. Both are to be streamed via a dog has bitten a man, and Virginia own council representatives stand for reelection while Danny Embrey Facebook. Only those in attendance has renewed the call to build a bridge up for us? North of Route 28, we will and Kerri Cook are the two non- will be able to submit questions across the Potomac River into the likely have the incumbent Craig Rice incumbents in the race. There are two directly to the candidates. Agricultural Reserve. in District 2 and his stronghold is seats up for election. The first forum is for the candidates As Gomer Pyle would say, in Germantown. Further south, in Those wishing to submit questions running for county executive: Marc “Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!” and around Poolesville, it will likely should arrive early to fill out question Elrich (D), Robin Ficker (R), and At any time, on any day, when you be Andrew Friedson of Bethesda, cards for the evening’s moderator Nancy Floreen (I). The town hall-style least expect it, someone is expending who also represents voters in Potomac to submit. The format will be similar to forum is scheduled for the morning of energy to keep the idea of another and Bethesda. Will Germantown, the county executive forum with Tuesday, October 23, with a reception crossing into Montgomery County Darnestown, Bethesda, North Potomac, opening statements followed by at 7:00 a.m., and the forum beginning alive. This time, the voice is from the and Potomac voters value preserving questions submitted by the moderator by 7:30 a.m. at Poolesville Town Hall. Loudoun County Board of Supervi- open space out here as much as and audience. All candidates will open with a sors which selected two sites for the we do? Will that decay over time? statement on “Why I am the best desired bridge. As usual, I heard this I ask down-county people about candidate for Montgomery County’s Do you have an interesting on WTOP on my car radio while in this, and a common response is, “That future and more particularly for the story to share? heavy traffic on I-270. If you find any might be a good idea. Maybe it Western County and its residents.” irony in that, knock yourself out. I will help.” Send it along to Rande Davis, of the Monocacy don’t. None of this is about reducing Does our Republican governor [email protected] Monocle, will moderate the public traffic. Their chosen locations are, on Larry Hogan value the status quo the the Virginia side, near Bles Park Drive, same way? He is massively popular not far from Landsdowne Golf Course, across party lines, but Republicans are and just across from where River Road (or used to be, I’m not sure what is Contributing Writers Dominique Agnew and Mt.