Blog Roundup: Firearms Safety Bill, MoCo Arts and Culture, Real Estate Improvements

House Judicial Committee Passes Firearms Safety Bill of 2013 with Amendments

Good Friday for the rest of the state was just another regular day for the House Judicial Committee and the House Health and Government Operations Committee. Both committees met in an eight-hour session to debate and make amendments to SB281, and some of those amendments were not without controversy.

Muslim Woman Scientist Gives Advice to Young Muslim Girls About Careers in STEM

With Islam in the spotlight everywhere, many non-Muslims have the notion that it is a religion that advocates oppression of women. A Muslim woman seen with her head covered is considered to be uneducated and backward.

Gordana Gerskovic Photography Presents "City Skin"

Gordana Gerskovic’s Fine Art Photography is some of the most aesthetically  enriching work to be offered to the art community and city at large. Trailblazing in her craft, Gerskovic reflects her fascination with nature through her work by presenting the viewer with evocative, abstract images of natural forms, organic objects and surfaces.

Celebrate the Life of Hank Greenberg Through Film and Literature at the DCJCC

Washingtonians soon will be immersed in the life of Jewish baseball hero Hank Greenberg as the Washington DCJCC’S Chaim Kempner Author Series proudly presents Our Hank: The 80th Anniversary of Baseball’s Hebrew Hammer. The evening will feature John Rosengren, author of Hank Greenberg: Hero of Heroes, and Aviva Kempner, director of The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg.

Why Bach Sinfonia's Bach on April 7 is the Most Beloved Bach

While the Bach Sinfonia is dedicated to performance and education of music from all of the baroque and early classical periods, conductor/artistic director Daniel Abraham and the ensemble members hold a special place in their musical hearts for music from their namesake, J.S. Bach. Therefore, on Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m. at the Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring, Montgomery College, Sinfonia performs “Most Beloved Bach.”

DC vs. Montgomery County: Steve Wonder Had It Right—"Skycrapers and Everything"

A new trend in Montgomery County is to obsess over why young people live in DC and not in Montgomery County. Some county elected officials, and those who plan stuff for a living in the county, seem especially concerned and obsessed about this. 

April 6: Rock Creek Cleanup. Time to Take out the Trash!

Last year, more than 14,000 volunteers across five states hauled
262 tons of trash out of the Potomac watershed during this annual cleanup. You may choose from over 40 sites along Rock Creek alone (see
map at Rock Creek Conservancy). Here are two great ones near East-West Highway:

What: Rock Creek Extreme Cleanup

When: Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m. to noon

Where: Meadowbrook Park (gather by activity building) or Ray's Meadow Park (north of East-West Highway; gather by playground)

Low-Cost Rental Improvements

Guess what! The experts were right; it is possible to over improve a rental property. That granite countertop I installed is nice but doesn’t bring any additional rent. The deck I built has never had a table on it. The fancy landscaping I installed has turned to weeds. 

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t offer quality rentals. On the contrary; renters want nice things. It's just that what a buyer needs, a renter may not covet or be willing to pay for.