Potomac Almanac

09/04/2025

Drought Monitoring Report (9/3/2025):

Dry conditions persist. According to the US National Weather Service Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center, average basin rainfall may be around 0.2 inches over the next 3 days.

Rain in the basin over the past week: 0.7 inches

Flow at USGS Point of Rocks gage: 1920 cubic feet per second

🗺: Rain received over the past month and the departure from average

09/03/2025

On the Clara Barton by the Cantilever Section, Eastbound and Westbound Lane Closures Could Be Necessary for Public Safety As Soon as Next Year

From the National Park Service:

National Park Service seeks public input on Clara Barton Parkway Cantilever and Glen Echo Overpass Environmental Assessment
Comments will be accepted September 9, 2025 through October 9, 2025

The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public comments on a Clara Barton Parkway Cantilever and Glen Echo Overpass Environmental Assessment (EA). The EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts from replacing the cantilever structure and adjacent retaining walls between Cabin John Parkway and the Macarthur Boulevard exit ramp, and demolishing the unused Glen Echo Overpass, an associated feature of Clara Barton Parkway.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has determined during recent inspections that the cantilever structure and adjacent retaining walls on Clara Barton Parkway are reaching the end of their useful remaining service life. The NPS will be required to implement weight restrictions on the westbound cantilevered lane as soon as 2026 if action is not taken to rehabilitate or replace the cantilever structure. Shortly thereafter, eastbound and westbound lane closures will be necessary for public safety. Recent FHWA inspections of the unused Glen Echo Overpass have similarly identified issues requiring corrective action and eventual rehabilitation if left in place.
30-day Public Comment Period: Comments on the EA will be accepted September 9, 2025 through October 9, 2025. Please go to https://parkplanning.nps.gov/clbacantilever to access the project webpage where you can view or download the EA and submit comments electronically. Comments can be submitted online until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on October 9, 2025.
You are also welcome to mail comments postmarked by October 9, 2025 directly to:
Superintendent
Attn: Cantilever EA
700 George Washington Mem Parkway
McLean, VA 22101
Please be aware that the entire comment submitted – including personal identifying information such as address, phone number, and email address – may be made publicly available. Requests to withhold such personal identifying information from public release will be considered, but there is no guarantee that they will be withheld.

National Park Service - PEPC - Clara Barton Parkway Cantilever Project

09/03/2025

09/02/2025

08/29/2025

2025 Trawick Prize Finalists
Eight regional artists have been selected as finalists for The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, a juried competition and exhibition produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District. More than 325 artists from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. submitted work to the 23rd annual competition.

2025 Trawick Prize Finalists

Sam Blanchard, Blacksburg, VA

Hyunsuk Erickson, Brandywine, MD

Roxana Alger Geffen, Washington, D.C.

Nate Larson, Baltimore, MD

Danni O’Brien, Baltimore, MD

Bria Sterling-Wilson, Ownings Mills, MD

Tara Youngborg, Elkridge, MD

Ju Yun, Chantilly, VA



The award winners will be announced at a private reception on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The Best in Show, first place winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000; and third place will be awarded $1,000.

The exhibit will be on display September 4 – 28, 2025 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday, 12 to 5pm, and Sunday, 11am – 4pm. A public opening reception will be held on Friday, September 12, from 6-8pm during the Bethesda Art Walk.



The jury consisted of Shannon Leah Collis, Professor of Art at University of Maryland; Andy Holtin, Department Chair and Professor of Art, American University; and Dr. Massa Lemu, Associate Professor of Art, Sculpture + Extended Media at Virginia Commonwealth University.



Founded by Carol Trawick in 2003, the regional competition is one of the largest prizes to annually honor visual artists. Ms. Trawick, a longtime community activist in downtown Bethesda, also established the Bethesda Painting Awards in 2005. She has served as the Chair of the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Strathmore and the Maryland State Arts Council. She founded the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation in 2007 to assist health and human services and arts non-profits in Montgomery County, MD. The Foundation has awarded grants to more than 90 nonprofits in Montgomery County and funds the annual Trawick Prize and the Bethesda Painting Awards.



To date, The Trawick Prize has awarded more than $330,000 in prize monies and has exhibited the artwork of more than 210 regional artists.



Previous Best in Show recipients include:

Richard Cleaver (2003), David Page (2004), Jiha Moon (2005), James Rieck (2006), Jo Smail (2007), Maggie Michael (2008), Rene Trevino (2009), Sara Pomerance (2010), Mia Feuer (2011), Lillian Bayley Hoover (2012), Gary Kachadourian (2013), Neil Feather (2014), Jonathan Monaghan (2015), Lauren Adams (2016), Larry Cook (2017), Caroline Hatfield (2018), Oletha DeVane (2019), Daniel Wickerham & Malcolm Lomax (2020), Cecilia Kim (2021), WonJung Choi (2022), Rex Delafkaran (2023) and Pedro Ledesma III (2024).

For more information, please visit

A world in one neighborhood. Bethesda, one of the most renowned communities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, is a destination for ethnic restaurants, boutiques, home décor shops and artistic...

08/28/2025

New year…new principals 🎉

We asked our 24 new school leaders to share a fun or surprising fact about themselves—and the answers did not disappoint👀

Read about them: https://mcpsmd.info/41qcO8t

08/28/2025

LOST Green Cheek Conure, mostly green, with red, yellow and blue. Tame and friendly. Lost from Kensington, in Chevy Chase View on Saul Rd. Between Connecticut Ave and Cedar. See comments for contact information.

08/26/2025

08/26/2025

Water levels at Great Falls were down a bit this Sunday, Aug. 24

08/26/2025

As students return to school, our principals share what drives their passion for the year ahead.

This is what Joseph Bostic, principal of Thomas S. Wootton High School is focused on this year.

08/26/2025

Hey parents 👋

Make sure your students are up-to-date on their school vaccinations. Montgomery County DHHS provides free vaccines for children Pre-K–12 at locations across the county.

Available through September: https://mcpsmd.info/45JxREj