Fox Shuns His Party to Back Republican for Prosecutor

By Miranda S. Spivack and Ernesto Londoño
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, October 12, 2006

Strange bedfellows are joining forces in the race for Montgomery County state's attorney. Daniel M. Fox , who lost the Democratic primary to Deputy State's Attorney John McCarthy , has endorsed the Republican nominee, James F. Shalleck .

"I am absolutely thrilled that a Democrat would endorse a Republican," said Shalleck, who has unsuccessfully campaigned for the job twice before. "He and I agree on the issues." Fox, who received nearly 32 percent of the votes in the September primary, sued McCarthy for defamation during the race. He also contributed $100,000 to his own campaign. Before the primary, Fox approached McCarthy and offered to run a passive campaign if McCarthy put him in the No. 2 job in the office.

McCarthy, widely thought to hold a commanding lead in the race to be the county prosecutor, has garnered a passel of endorsements. He is campaigning to succeed his former boss, Douglas F. Gansler (D), who is running for Maryland attorney general.

Public Safety Officers' Memorial

Montgomery County public safety officers broke ground last week for the orb-shaped memorial that will honor those who have died in the line of duty.

Elected officials, heads of the county's public safety agencies and relatives of fallen officers met Oct. 5 at the site of the $300,000 memorial, which has received financial backing from the county and local businesses. It is located in Rockville at the Public Safety Training Academy on Great Seneca Highway.

Twenty-eight public safety officials have died in the line of duty in the county since 1928. The county has lost 15 police officers, 12 firefighters and one corrections employee. The memorial will include the names of all fallen officers.

Among the fallen was Montgomery County police Capt. James E. Daly Jr., whose widow attended the groundbreaking. "We never want him forgotten," Frances Daly said of her husband, who was slain in 1976 after responding to a robbery while he was off duty. "The police family never forgets. But this is a reminder for the community."

Hanson's Achilles' Heel?

Environmentalists and other critics of the county's planning process have been lying low since planning board Chairman Royce Hanson took over the beleaguered agency this summer from Derick P. Berlage . Berlage's tenure was marred by the discovery of building irregularities at Clarksburg Town Center, which then led to a growing sense that the county's system of regulating development was in disarray.

Guess what? The honeymoon may already be over for Hanson.

Last week, the Montgomery County Civic Federation, a coalition of neighborhood groups, sent a highly critical letter to the agency questioning its commitment to trees.

While the park and planning agency has acknowledged a need to examine its enforcement of environmental regulations, "there has been little internal progress even as there has been much agency opposition, obfuscation, or indifference . . . to external recommendations and . . . legal demands," the letter said.

"More and more affected individuals and communities believe that the culture within [the agency] requires it to side in such disputes with those who develop and build. . . . Therefore, we reiterate our request that [the agency]" freeze the program until the tree protection process is beefed up. Under state law, many builders must show how they will protect trees before they are allowed to begin construction.

Wanted: Election Judges

Just in case you were hankering to help out on Election Day, the Montgomery County Board of Elections is looking for a few (very) good judges. The board, which runs the county's 238 polling places, needs lots of people with technical savvy, good interpersonal skills, and yes, plenty of patience. (Remember the Sept. 12 primary?)

The Board of Elections needs several types of election judges for Nov. 7. Among the requirements are the ability to lift 25 pounds and know how to work with a computer. There is mandatory training. Compensation is $125 for the day for most judges. Chief judges are paid $150. You can expect a very long workday, from about 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Still interested? Go to http://www.777vote.org http:/// , and click on "Election Judge Questionnaire." To contact the election recruiters, based on party affiliation:

· Democrats: 240-777-8570 or democrats@montgomerycountymd.gov.

· Republicans: 240-777-8575 or republicans@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Honors for Nine Women

As County Executive Douglas M. Duncan faces the final weeks of his 12-year tenure, county groups are starting to offer kudos and awards to his administration.

But Duncan may have to wait a little longer for his. Next week, the Montgomery County Business and Professional Women, and the county government's Commission for Women will honor nine county women, including Duncan's wife, Barbara C. Duncan , a longtime patron of the arts, whose day job is director of community relations at Sunrise Senior Living in Rockville.

The Tuesday night dinner will be at the Gaithersburg Holiday Inn. Also being honored are:

· Circuit Court Judge Marielsa A. Bernard , the county's first Hispanic judge, who began the National Association of Women Judges Storybook Project at the Correctional Institute for Women in Jessup.

· Cheryl C. Kagan , a former member of the House of Delegates who is executive director of the Carl M. Freeman Foundation.

· Esther B. Newman , founder and executive director of Leadership Montgomery.

· Odessa M. Shannon , director of the Montgomery County Human Rights Commission.

· Evelyne S. Steward , vice president of Discovery's LifeWorks Department and founder of the Worklife Alliance.

· Yun Jung Yang , a member of the Montgomery County Commission for Women and an immigration attorney in Wheaton.

· Laura A. Wilkinson , a partner at the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges and a member of the board of the Montgomery Alliance for Community Giving.

· Deborah A. Yancer , president of Shady Grove Hospital.

"It is amazing how many incredible women there are in Montgomery County who work for us every day," said Pat Cornish , a former national president of the businesswomen's organization.

The event is part of National Business Women's Week. Tickets are available for $50 each by sending a check made out to the business women's group to Barbara Borjes, 4126 Sampson Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20906. For more information, call Cornish at 301-466-8291 or e-mail her at cornishpat@aol.com .

Special Ed Forum

Special Ed Voters, a parent advocacy group for children with disabilities, is sponsoring a forum for Board of Education candidates from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the Bauer Recreation Center, 14625 Bauer Dr. in Rockville.

Maryland Secretary of Disabilities Kristen Cox , the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, is scheduled to make opening remarks. For more information, go to http://www.specialedvoters.org .