ThayerAvenue

No more SilverDocs, which was presented in partnership with Discovery and local economic development entities. That partnership is over; the event will be shortened by two days and spread out over different venues around the region. A blow to Silver Spring, I think. But hopefully good for documentaries. 

More in the Washington Post.

News came yesterday of the plan to fix the ailing Silver Spring Transit Center. Work is to begin in late summer as a collaborative effort among those who screwed it up, at (supposedly) no cost to the taxpayers. Until after that, of course. At that point, all the contractors will be thrown into a giant, “unnamed” dome to fight it out until the last one stands. Then they’ll sue everyone in sight to recoup costs.

We’ll have our own Master Blaster, Ike Leggett, officiating. Which presents us with another question…

Isn’t the Executive Branch of the county charged with carrying out and managing Montgomery County’s contracts? Sure, the County Council could have provided more money management or something, but they pass laws and hold the pursestrings. And while all the fingerpointing has been going around, shouldn’t the buck stop really with Ike?

The short (incorrect) answer, from his perspective, would probably be a big fat NO. Why, you ask? Simple: It might endanger his potential run for yet another term as County Executive. But anyone else who’s running will hang this around his neck with a big ribbon on it and he’ll never enter the contest to begin with.

In the meantime, the “fixing” will start with demolishing and replacing big swaths of the second floor concrete at a yet-to-be-announced cost. For the lastest chapter, see Bill Turque’s story on WashingtonPost.com, already in progress.