For Immediate Release: Thursday, July 21, 2016
County Cable Montgomery show explores
what makes neighborhoods special
Latest edition of ‘Neighborhood Niches’ show looks at
the unique features of Wheaton and Somerset
ROCKVILLE, Md., July 21, 2016—Wheaton is home to the longest escalator in the United States and has a music store frequented by some of the world’s top artists, such as Stevie Wonder. The Town of Somerset was founded in 1890 by five scientists and its 1,200 residents live in an area less than one-quarter mile wide. Those are among the things that make these Montgomery County communities unique and why they are featured in the second edition of Neighborhood Niches, the newest show on the County’s government cable station County Cable Montgomery.
Montgomery County’s overall population now exceeds one million. Its neighborhoods range from urban areas supported by public transit to typical suburban communities that were the fabric of the County’s growth after World War II to the protected rural areas in the County’s Agricultural Reserve.
Neighborhood Niches was created to look at the aspects of specific communities that make each one special—not only from other communities in the County, but often, in comparison to neighborhoods around the Washington Region. In its first episode, Neighborhood Niches featured the neighborhoods of Garrett Park and Olney.
In this episode, County Councilmember Nancy Navarro talks about the enthusiasm being generated by the ongoing revitalization of Wheaton, a part of Council District 4, which she represents. Council Vice President Roger Berliner talks about the character of Somerset, a part of Council District 1, which he represents.
“Some things are evident about a community just by driving through it,” said Susan Kenedy, the show’s producer. “But our show looks for things you may only find by driving down a side street or talking to people who help make those neighborhood’s thrive. Our goal is to allow viewers to learn about places in Montgomery County they may not often visit, and for the residents of the neighborhoods, to perhaps uncover things that even they never knew.”
The 15-minute show can be viewed numerous times on CCM (Montgomery Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). Upcoming viewing times include Sundays at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m.; Mondays at 9:30 p.m.; and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The full episode can be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/NM1sz99s3OQ .
The segment about Wheaton only can be viewed at https://youtu.be/-8xKjMZ1rA8 .
The segment about Somerset only can be viewed at https://youtu.be/gXTP_wZjoJk .
Neighborhood Niches’ visit to Wheaton reveals that the area was named after Civil War general Frank Wheaton and that 45 percent of the area’s current population of about 50,000 was born outside of the United States. Wheaton is home to Brookside Gardens, the nature park that attracts more than 500,000 visitors each year. Since 1968, its business district has included Chuck Levin’s House of Music, which sells more musical instruments each year than any store of its kind in the nation.
The look at Somerset includes a visit with Mayor Jeffrey Slavin. The town is near the Capital Crescent Trail, which inspires residents to hop on their bikes—including for the town’s annual “Bike Day” celebration. And its community pool is more than a place to cool off in summer—it serves as the community’s meeting place.
Ms. Kenedy also was the reporter for the show. Mike Springirth was the videographer and an editor. Loren Olson also was an editor of the show.
# # # # Release ID: 16-231