For my senior Capstone project at the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, I was assigned to cover hyperlocal news in Wheaton, Md., and partnered with a fellow student covering Riverdale Park, Md. for a multimedia project on the upcoming Purple Line construction.
VIDEO: Community Weighs in on Purple Line
RiverdalePark.Patch.com. May 15, 2012. With Rachel Roubein.
Some say light rail will ease commuting, while others are wary of funding issues.
Three Riverdale Businesses Could Be Displaced by Purple Line
RiverdalePark.Patch.com. May 15, 2012. With Rachel Roubein.
Light rail could uproot three buildings on the corner of Kenilworth Avenue and East-West Highway.
The three businesses housed side by side in the little boxy buildings on Kenilworth Avenue have almost nothing in common. One is a barbershop, another prepares tax returns for Spanish speakers and the third is an African fabric boutique.
But they may share a common fate: They will disappear if the 16-mile, $1.93 billion Purple Line connecting Bethesda to New Carrollton becomes a reality.
VIDEO: A Day in Montgomery with Radio Host Lorna Virgili
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. May 15, 2012.
Take a look in side the May 8 edition of “Montgomery al Dia.”
With red hair, red dress and red heels to match her fiery personality, Lorna Virgili checks her reflection in her iPhone before taping her bilingual radio show, which will hit not only the airwaves, but also a YouTube audience.
PHOTOS: Craig Miller’s Good Time Ol’ Fashion Service
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. April 24, 2012.
Take a peek inside this University Boulevard Auto Repair Shop.
Craig Miller, a 43-year-old resident of White Oak and owner of Good Time Ol’ Fashion Service auto repair shop at 2401 University Blvd. comes from a long line of car enthusiasts. His grandparents owned a Pontiac dealership for more than 40 years in Ligonier, Pa., and his dad owned three Pontiac GTOs, fostering a love for the GTO in Miller at an early age, which is now the namesake of his shop. “Most boys develop a want for a car at age five or six, and those were the cool cars we had when I was little,” he said.
Meet the Chamber of Commerce’s Non-Profit of the Year
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. April 20, 2012.
Meals on Wheels of Wheaton celebrates 40 years with distinction.
The Wheaton & Kensington Chamber of Commerce named Meals on Wheels of Wheaton the Non-Profit of the Year at its annual Community Awards Banquet on Wednesday.
Founded in 1972, the organization packages well-balanced hot and cold meals and delivers them to the elderly community so that they can continue to live independently in their own homes.
PHOTOS: Primary Day in Montgomery County
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. April 4, 2012.
Voter turnout was light in Wheaton and around Montgomery County.
Chamber of Commerce to Highlight Community Leaders
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. March 30, 2012.
The annual awards ceremony will recognize Brookside Gardens and present scholarships to local high school students.
The 28th Annual Wheaton & Kensington Chamber of Commerce Community Awards Banquet will be held at the Hollywood East Cafe at 11160 Veirs Mill Road on April 18, from 6 to 9 p.m.
WUDAC Dissatisfied with County Council’s New Redevelopment Recommendations
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. March 16, 2012.
The Wheaton Urban District Advisory Committee hopes to dissuade the council from a new downtown redevelopment plan that would delay or eliminate the WMATA platform.
The Wheaton Urban District Advisory Committee scrapped its meeting agenda on March 13 in favor of discussing the new Capital Improvement Plans (CIP) recommendations for Wheaton Redevelopment proposed at the Montgomery County Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) committee the night before.
Odds and Ends at the International Outdoor Market
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. March 14, 2012.
An eclectic mix of arts, crafts, clothes and electronics bring a diverse community together.
The weekly International Outdoor Market is currently held in the parking lot between the Westfield Wheaton Plaza Macy’s and CVS on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., after moving from several locations due to the surrounding construction.
Reevaluating Wheaton’s Artistic Designation to Boost Economy
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. March 7, 2012.
Regional planners hope to activate community involvement.
Though Wheaton has been designated an Arts & Entertainment District for nearly six years, Mid-County Regional Services Director Ana Lopez van Balen says there is still a lot of work ahead to embody that distinction.
She plans to meet with Suzan Jenkins, CEO of the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and representatives from established arts groups in the community on Tuesday to brainstorm plans to boost a “unified vision” within Wheaton that is centered on the arts.
Second Glenmont Sector Plan Workshop Addresses Resident Concerns
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. February 27, 2012.
Residents find the wait frustrating but planners’ enthusiasm encouraging.
Images of a new Glenmont took shape at the second community visioning workshop for the Glenmont Sector Plan Update on Wednesday, but the projected timeline of completion appears longer than residents had hoped.
Conflict Resolution Center Thriving after move to Bethesda, Director Says
Wheaton-Md.Patch.com. February 16, 2012.
After relocating from Wheaton to Bethesda, the county’s Conflict Resolution Center continues to partner with Wheaton organizations.
Walking through Wheaton’s Mid-County Regional Services Center, it may take a second to notice the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County has left the building.
Now located on the second floor of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center at 4805 Edgemoor Lane in Bethesda, the new space offers the regional non-profit room to breathe and flourish, according to its executive director.
Hilary Weissman 