🌱 Patch AM: How a Takoma Park artist is comforting laid-off federal workers

Hello Takoma Park! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• How a Takoma Park artist is comforting laid-off federal workers
• How a Takoma Park artist turned layoff grief into healing pet portraits
• Why are questions about Wes Moore’s Oxford record resurfacing now?

Also on today's calendar: Art and Artisan Holiday Show and 7 more events.

Today's riddle: I once read a book about anti-gravity. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Friday: Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high of 39 and low of 28 degrees.
• Saturday: Mainly cloudy, temps: high: 44, low: 27.
• Sunday: Colder; morning snow, 1-2", with a high of 32 and low of 18 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!

📰 News we're reading

• The Pulse: Fired, Furloughed & Fed Up, Former Federal Workers Speak Out on Job Crisis (mymcmedia.org) — A Takoma Park artist, Denise Mortimer, is spotlighted for her Rocket Bear Project, creating pet portraits to comfort federal workers laid off across Montgomery County. The half‑hour “Pulse” episode follows several displaced federal employees as they rebuild careers, seek training, and even run for office, while inviting local employers to connect with featured jobseekers.
   

• Former Federal Employee Creates Pet Portraits to Comfort Displaced Workers (mymcmedia.org) — A former federal employee from Takoma Park turned to drawing her dog during the shutdown and ended up creating the RocketBear Project, a series of pet portraits honoring displaced public servants. Her whimsical illustrations now help other laid-off workers process loss, celebrate their pets, and keep their stories visible well beyond their former government roles.
   

• Wes Moore Won a Key White House Post Claiming He Was 'Touted as a Foremost Expert' on Radical Islam and Was Studying for an Oxford PhD—But His Thesis Is 'Missing' and There's No Evidence He Was Ever… (freebeacon.com) — Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who was born in Takoma Park, is facing detailed scrutiny over inconsistencies in his Oxford academic record and claims of expertise on radical Islam that helped him secure a prestigious White House fellowship. Reporters highlight conflicting graduation dates, a missing thesis, and unverified doctoral studies, while Moore’s office dismisses the investigation as partisan attacks.
   

📸 Around Takoma Park

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Takoma Park

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Sunday December 14

• Art and Artisan Holiday Show
  801 Sligo Ave, Silver Spring
  12:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday December 13

• The Still Point Holiday Sip & Shop
  The Still Point , 6 Grant Ave , Takoma Park
  11:00 am
• Takoma Park MOVES – Dance Class for Everyone!
  Dance Exchange , 7117 Maple Ave Studio 3 , Takoma Park
  11:00 am
• Art and Artisan Holiday Show
  801 Sligo Ave , Silver Spring
  12:00 pm

Sunday December 14

• Old Town Holiday Brass
  Takoma Urban Park , 7035 Carroll Ave , Takoma Park
  12:00 pm

Monday December 15

• Computer Basics: Introduction to PCs
  Spaulding Branch Library Spauldings - Conference Room
  2:00 pm
• Genealogy Workshop
  Spaulding Branch Library Spauldings - Conference Room
  4:30 pm

Wednesday December 17

• Needlework Social
  Spauldings - Conference Room
  5:00 pm

Thursday December 18

• Caseworker in the Library
  Spauldings - Group Study Room 1
  10:00 am
• Ready 2 Read Storytime: Ages 23
  Spauldings - Storytime Barn
  11:00 am

📣 Takoma Park Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Friday December 12

• Celebrating Diversity: A Family Breakfast
  North Chevy Chase Elementary School Chevy Chase, MD 20815
  8:30 am
• Babies & Books!
  People's Book , 7014 Westmoreland Ave Suite A , Takoma Park
  9:00 am
• Holiday Trains and Planes
  College Park Aviation Museum , 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Dr , College Park
  10:00 am
• Friday Senior Social
  City of College Park Seniors , 4905 Branchville Road , College Park
  10:30 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Takoma Park PatchAM possible:

• Summer At Sandy Spring — (301) 774-7455
  Your Kids Can Have An AWESOME FUN Summer!
• Dogtopia of Bethesda — (475) 338-3501
  Dogtopia – Dog Daycare, Boarding, Spa & Wellness

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Green Line service resumes at Southern Avenue following an earlier police investigation, with residual delays in both directions.
  6:12PM on Dec 10: Delays on the Green Line in both directions due to a police investigation at Southern Avenue. (Nextdoor )

• Washington Adventist University posted a job opening for Provost in Takoma Park. Apply here.
• Savers | Value Village posted a job opening for Merchandise Processing Associate in Silver Spring. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Takoma Park here.

🗞 Nearby News

Silver Spring

• Downtown Silver Spring Ice Skating Rink Now Open for Winter (sourceofthespring.com)
• Police search for suspect in Northwest Branch Trail assault in Silver Spring (wusa9.com)
• Monaleo Turns The Fillmore Into a Victory Lap on Her DMV Tour Stop (imprintent.org)

Chevy Chase

• Trump tariffs drive up artificial Christmas tree prices, but real saplings hold firm, sellers say (washingtontimes.com)

Ok Takoma Park! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I couldn’t put it down.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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