LIFE ON THE AVENUE What’s new, what’s old and what’s coming on Route 1. PAGE 4
New principal joins Hyattsville Elementary by Susie Currie
Anyone heading down Jefferson Street towards Route 1 can see that big changes are in store for Hyattsville Elementary School. By the time school starts next month, a new retaining wall and fence should be in place, along with an upgraded entrance on 43rd Avenue. And inside, a new principal will greet students on the first day of school. Julia Burton, one of 35 new county principals named in June, started at Hyattsville Elementary on July 3 – shortly after her plane landed. “My supervisor picked me up at the airport and we came straight here,” said the Iowa native in an interview on her second day on the job. There is plenty of settling in to do – at press time, she was still house-hunting, with plans to move to the area with her two dogs later this month. Burton is starting her 30th year working in the education field. For the first half of her career, she taught Advanced Placement English to high-school juniors and seniors. Then she taught students in the Talented and Gifted Program, eventually moving into an administrative role as director of the TAG department for the Des Moines Public Schools. She
HANDMADE MEETS HIGH-TECH
No one wanted to believe it could happen here, either. But it did. PAGE 7
Hometown artists use website to enter global marketplace. PAGE 4
Hyattsville Life&Times
Vol. 9 No. 7
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
July 2012
BLOWN AWAY
CATIE CURRIE The surprise derecho that hit June 29 ripped off part of a roof at Top of the Park apartments and brought down a window-shattering tree on a car parked on Hamilton Street.
Surprise storms leave damage, power outages in their wake by Susie Currie
Until last month, many of us had never heard the words “microburst” or “derecho.” But that was before two storms a week apart felled
trees, ripped off roofs, rained hail and cut the power to millions of homes and businesses in nine states. On Friday, June 22, a microburst hit the area, bringing horizontal rain, debilitating
winds, and “hail the size of golf balls,” according to lifelong Hyattsville resident Richard Klank, who found some of the frozen spheres STORMS continued on page 13
End of an era: Professional Carry Out to close by Paula Minaert
Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 43 Easton, MD 21601
PRINCIPAL continued on page 12
BEFORE SANDUSKY
PAULA MINAERT
There will be an empty spot in Hyattsville at the end of this month: The Professional Carry Out, long beloved by many residents, will close its doors July 31. The owners, Hyun Joong Shin and Song Hee Shin, have run the business for almost 20 years. They offer hearty breakfasts to early risers in the city, and lunches to many people who work up and down Route 1, where the restaurant is located. Blame the economy, if you will. The couple’s daughter, Sue
Chan, said that the rent is being raised significantly and her parents can’t afford to pay it. The restaurant has definitely earned a place in many people’s hearts. Former Ward 1 councilmember Doug Dudrow, for one, raves about it. “Got the best durn home fries in town,” he said. “I always see county police, court personnel and firefighters there. The owners know how to fill up hungry people.” Ron Rhine, owner of the Hyattsville Vacuum Cleaner store across the street, is one of them. “I eat there almost every day
and I eat good,” he said. “I may take an inch or two off my waistline [once it’s closed]. The owners are a wonderful couple, very hard-working people. I’ll miss them.” Tony Fotos said he and his wife enjoy going there because “It’s like home. We looked forward to seeing our friends there, and if we didn’t meet friends we made them there.” Chan said her parents had hoped to keep the business for a few more years. “We came over from South CLOSING continued on page 9
Included: The July 11, 2012 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section
Page 2
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
FromThePresident
Leaving Hyattsville: the things I’ll miss of my home while my daughter, Veeka, now 7, attended school A For Sale sign that sprouted in at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day my front yard the first week of School, St. Jerome Academy and June was what got the news out Hyattsville Elementary. By this that my sojourn in Hyattsville spring, however, it was clear that was coming to an end. I had men- this kind of writing wasn’t nearly tally planned to be here a lot lon- enough to support us. ger, but getting laid off two years Then out of the blue at the beago from The Washington Times ginning of May, Union Univerchanged all that. sity, a Southern Baptist-affiliated I moved here four years ago at institution of 4,400 students in the advice of longtime friends. Jackson, Tennessee (one hour’s After losing my job, I hung on drive east of Memphis), called for as long as I could, freelancing to see if I was interested in teachfor the Economist, The Washing- ing journalism there. They liked ton Post, CNN.com, The Wall me, I liked them and on June 8, I Street Journal and whoever else signed the contract to become an would accept my work. During associate professor there. I was the past two years, I worked out lucky and my house sold in two weeks. So this is our last month here. Having visited western Tennessee twice in the past month, I can tell you that a lot of the amenities A community newspaper we enjoy here don’t exist there. chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Folks there joke about making Trader Joe runs to Nashville, 120 Mailing address: PO Box 132, By Julia Duin
miles to the east. That’s far more drastic than the 7-mile run we make to Silver Spring. There’s one Starbucks in town but no IKEA, organic market nor a Wegmans in sight. They don’t even have Giant or Safeway! Five Guys is said to be moving there soon; a major event in that city of 65,000. Most people have to leave town immediately upon losing their jobs. I am glad I was able to linger for the arrival of all the great retail just two blocks away from where I live on Jefferson Street. It’s been wonderful walking down there to shop and eat. I’ve also enjoyed seeing Crossover Church’s transition from services at their stone edifice on Route 1 at Jefferson to Northwestern High School. I hope their final home doesn’t take them outside of Hyattsville city limits. I doubt I’ll ever find a closerknit neighborhood than this one. Veeka is very sad about the
friends she’s leaving behind at Hyattsville Elementary. As for me, I’ll miss the Sunday-evening vespers crowd terribly, as well as the community I’ve so enjoyed on the local moms’ listservs. And annual events like the Vine Crawl — what a blast! Some regrets: I never did get to ride the bike paths around here, as my daughter was too big for a baby seat but too small to ride on her own. They don’t have bike paths in Jackson. As for the Hamilton Splash Park at Magruder: They don’t have things like that either. And I’m sad to leave my post as president of the board of the Hyattsville Life & Times, a wonderful publication that I’ve been privileged to help guide for three years. Attorney Joe Gigliotti has kindly agreed to serve the remainder of my term. One thing I won’t miss: the draconian speed traps, especially across the county line in the District. Don’t you just love
how they post all the speed limits there artificially low (i.e., 25 mph) and then zap you to the tune of $125 and up per ticket? More than a year ago, I editorialized that Busboys and Poets should give some space to local authors to pitch their products. They came through for five of us a year ago. And, from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 29, they’re hosting another gathering for four of us: Richard Morris, David Levy, Andra Damron and me. We’ll all be describing our various books and indulging in refreshments. So, please come by. And farewell. Editor’s Note: Julia Duin brought years of journalistic experience, talent and great organizational skills to this newspaper. She not only contributed some memorable stories, she also provided strong guidance in her role as president of the board. We thank her for her service and wish her the best in her new life.
Hyattsville, MD 20781
Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community Newspaper, Inc., a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation. Interested reporters should send their e-mail addresses to the editor to be reminded of deadlines and receive internal news. Articles and news submitted may be edited. The deadline is the last week of the month for the following month’s issue. Letters to the editor and opinions are encouraged. For all e-mail correspondence with HL&T: news, features, tips, advertising and business write to hyattsvillelifeandtimes@gmail. com. To submit articles, letters to the editor, etc., e-mail susie@hyattsvillelife.com. Executive Editor Paula Minaert paula@hyattsvillelife.com 301.335.2519 Managing Editor Susie Currie susie@hyattsvillelife.com 301.633.9209 Editorial Intern Scarlett Salem Production Ashley Perks Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234 Writers & Contributors Victoria Hille, William Jenne, Valerie Russell, Kimberly Schmidt, Fred Seitz, Hugh Turley Board of Directors Julia Duin - President Chris Currie - Vice President Joseph Gigliotti - General Counsel Paula Minaert - Secretary Peggy Dee, Bart Lawrence, Karen J. Riley Susie Currie - Ex Officio Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. Mail to every address in Hyattsville. Additional copies are distributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the city. Total circulation is 9,300. HL&T is a member of the National Newspaper Association.
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A bowling alley, a bakery and the five-and-dime by Peggy Dee
On a recent warm, sunny afternoon, I took a walk down Oliver Street and stopped by to greet Betty Moreau, who has been a neighbor of mine for years. As we sat together on her front porch, she took me on a delightful trip down memory lane. Betty will never forget listening to the radio on a daily basis and one of her most vivid memories is the day President Roosevelt announced that World War II had ended. She and her family were elated and Betty ran out into the street to celebrate the war’s end with her neighbors. They all came out on their porches and talked about it. Betty and her family have lived in Hyattsville since 1937, after relocating from Wisconsin. Originally they lived at 40th and Shepherd (now Longfellow) streets and then moved to Oliver Street in 1939, where she remains today. She attended both Hyattsville Elementary School, which was at the same location it is today, and the old Hyatts-
PHOTO COURTESY DOUGLAS DUDROW Route 1 in the late 1930s.
ville High School, located where the middle school sits today. Her family attended the Lutheran church, which was not on Belcrest Road where it is today but at 36th and Longfellow streets, the site of the recently closed Concordia Lutheran School. While she was in high school, Betty worked part-time at the
Woolworth’s Five-and-Dime on Baltimore Avenue. After she graduated, she became a fulltime employee. Altogether she worked there for 10 years, from 1943 to 1953. The loose candy that sold for 25 cents a pound was a very popular item. Facial powder, with the puff, was a favorite among the ladies. The
hardware section was an attraction for the men. Across from Woolworth’s were a pastry shop, Lisenbee Jewelers and Dudrow’s Drug Store. Next to the bridge there was a house containing doctors’ offices. In late 1953, Betty transferred to the Woolworth’s in College Park. It was located in a small shopping center at Knox Road and Route 1. Betty’s brother, Kenneth Moreau, finished his military service in the early 1940s and worked at Peoples Drug Store, also located on Route1. He attended the police academy and served with the City of Hyattsville police department from 1945 through 1975. He was chief of police during the 1950s. Young boys with their paper routes, bowling at the old Hyattsville Bowling Alley, eating hot fudge cake at the Hot Shoppes, Queens Chapel Road being a two-lane road, and taking a streetcar from the old Mt. Rainier Bus Terminal to Washington, D.C.: these are special memories that Betty has carried with her for life. I am so glad that she shared them with me.
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
Page 3
GOING OFF THE RAILS
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Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
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What’s on
Route 1? By Paula Minaert
Route 1 Ride, the county bus service that travels one of the area’s main commercial districts, can take you from IKEA in College Park down to the traffic circle in Mount Rainier. It’s free for students and seniors; the rest of us pay $1. It will soon be easy to pick out the three buses that travel the route each weekday, as plans are underway to wrap them in a design from a local artist. What, we wondered, would riders see as they pass through Hyattsville’s stretch of Route 1? Well, Hyattsville proper begins, on the west side, near Melrose Skate Park (at Charles Armentrout Drive) at the southern end and goes north to about Oliver Street. Because of the vagaries of the town boundaries, it goes to just shy of Madison Street on the east side.. Here’s a look at some of the things you’ll see in Hyattsville as you ride the bus. We’ll start at the north end and move south. Be warned, though: new businesses are moving in at a great clip, so you may see something not listed here because it set up shop right around press time. West side, from 6100 Baltimore Avenue to DeMatha Catholic High School First you have Shagga, an Ethiopian restaurant, which has garnered good reviews in the Washington Post and Washingtonian Magazine. Then, between Oliver and Oglethorpe streets are Valero’s gas station, a laundromat, a 7-11 and the Oglethorpe Condominiums. Crossing Oglethorpe, you see Labor Ready, at 5814 Baltimore Avenue. You’d only see activity there around 6:30 a.m., when they send temporary workers out on jobs. After that are some businesses that have been there for many years: Enterprise Car Rental, J. Richard Lilly and Associates, Avenue Optic and Malouf Eye Center. Dr. Lilly at 5806 has been at that location for more than 30 years. Then, at Madison Street, you see the new entrance to DeMatha Catholic High School, famed for its music and sports programs. West side, from 5710 Baltimore Avenue to Jefferson Street Past DeMatha is a building with a large rounded glass front. It’s the Lustine Center, at 5710; it was an
auto showroom built by the Lustine car dealership in 1950. It’s been renovated and repurposed and now houses a gym (for residents of Arts District Hyattsville) and artdc, a gallery that brings in work by artists from all over the area. After that you’ll see Accelerate, a physical therapy and sports medicine group, and ETTE (Empowerment through Technology & Education, an IT provider. A sign on the next building announces it will house a Nationwide Insurance franchise. After crossing Longfellow Street, you see a cluster of businesses in buildings EYA built about four years ago. One of the first to open was Café Azul, at 4423 Longfellow. It specializes in Latin American food (though it’s closed for the month of July). Next door is relative newcomer BoostMobile (a cell phone provider) and the Center for Positive Living, which is a therapist’s office. Then comes Artiz 56 Twelve, a hair salon. A vacant storefront is next door. Two other businesses opened earlier this year. Wet Your Palettes (opened in January) offers one-session painting classes where you bring your own wine and create your version of an iconic painting. Pretty Girl Cupcakery (February) specializes in gourmet cupcakes. After a vacant lot you see an empty blue building that used to house Alberta’s thrift store; it has a fence around it. A Subway and another business will be moving into the space, said Jim Chandler, the city’s director of Community and Economic Development. The two businesses after that, the Happy Wash car wash and the Tire Place, are both planning improvements, said Chris Giunta, acting director of Code Enforcement. The four-story building at the corner of Jefferson Street is fancy-looking, with the lower level made of stone and red brick for the rest of it. It is, however, owned by Verizon and has no personnel there, according to Chandler, only equipment. East side, from Jefferson Street to the bridge to Alternate 1 On the east side is Streetsense’s retail space, The Shoppes at Arts District Hyattsville, at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Jefferson Street. The latest news there is the opening last month of the Indian restaurant Spice 6. My Eye Dr. is scheduled to move in this summer as well. The beige stone building that comes next is called the Mary-
land Building. It used to house the Card Attic and Sports Cards store, now closed, and a tax business, which is open. The yellow frame building next to it has in it a law office, a Mastertax office, and the Givers of Life Ministries. Then, if you look down Hamilton Street, you’ll see it runs about a block before it dead ends at the railroad tracks in a cul-de-sac. The businesses there are not readily visible but there are a cluster of car repair shops and some other businesses that appear closed. This area is also the site where the city plans to put in more parking. On the other side of Hamilton Street sits a building that has yellow siding on the bottom half, salmon-colored brick on top and a bright orange sticker on the door that reads “Unfit for Human Occupancy.” Giunta said the building belongs to Rev. Kennedy Sandy and is the original location of one of his churches. “There were electrical and plumbing problems, and issues with occupancy. Its use was for assembly but there were tenants living there.” Rev. Sandy, who was also involved in real estate, is listed as the defendant in numerous cases in Prince George’s County Circuit Court and Hyattsville District Court for matters ranging from theft to operating as a contractor without a license. Most of the judgments went against him. The last known mention of him, in 2011, lists him running for political office in Liberia. Then comes Hyattsville Vacuum, which has been there since 1941 and has had only three owners. Currrent owner Ron Rhine still sells vacuum cleaners and hard-to-find parts for them, and offers repair services as well as a large stock of environmentally friendly cleaning supplies. A large mural is painted on the side of this building, depicting some historic places in the city and also two portraits: Christopher Hyatt, for whom the city is named, and Morgan Wootten, famed basketball coach at DeMatha High School. The mural overlooks a small park, which forms a triangle with the bridge that goes over to Alternate Route 1. West side, from Jefferson Street to the bridge On the west side just south of Jefferson Street sits a building that looks like a medieval English castle. Originally built as an armory in 1918, ROUTE 1 continued on page 6
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
Page 5
UP AND DOWN ROUTE 1 El Comalito Shagga
Oliver St. Valero’s Laundromat 7-11 Oglethorpe Condominiums
Riverdale Park
Oglethorpe St.
Madison St.
Madison St. Lustine Center
DeMatha High School Parking Lot
Summer Arts Camps
community performing arts center
Route 1
Labor Ready Enterprise Rent-A-Car Dr. Lilly DeMatha Avenue Optic High School Parking Lot Malouf Eye Center
DeMatha High School Campus
Jey’s
Artdc @ Lustine Accelerate
ALL YOGA CLASSES $5
Condominiums
Ette Nationwide
Longfellow St.
Longfellow St.
www.joesmovement.org 301-699-1819
Cafe Azul Boost Mobile Positive Living
Condominiums
Artiz Vacant
Sudsville
Wet Your Palettes 44th Ave.
Pretty Girl
Kennedy St.
Ken
ned
Happy Wash Route 1
Tire Place
Chipotle Hair Cuttery Tara Thai
Elevation Burger
Verizon
Jefferson St.
Contact LaTanya Robinson for more information at 301.699.1819
yS
t.
Yogi Castle
Big Bad Woof
Vacant Blue Bird Cab/Vacant
Vacant Card Attic MD Building Yellow Frame
Vacant Bed to Go Professional Carry Out
h&RANKLINS IS AWESOME v
Spice 6
Jefferson St.
Frame Busboys & Poets Savvy My Eye Doctor Yes Organic Market
Crossover Church
Essentials Day Spa
Ingraham St.
n0UBCRAWLER COM
Hamilton St.
Pike El Cholateco
Vacant Hyattsville Vacuum
Faitth Christian Bookstore Pressing Toward the Mark Ghanaian 7th Day Adventist
Hamilton St.
Route 1
Minority Access
A Tangled Skein
• Fine Arts Intensive • Culture Camp Series (Espanol & Africa) • Dance Camp • Creative Movement
Located at 3309 Bunker Hill Road, right off of 34th Street in historic Mount Rainier, MD
Vacant
Minority Access Annex
Joe’s Movement Emporium offers Summer Arts Camps for youth ages 3-13.
Gallatin St.
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Vacant TVs Plus
SEIU
FA Braids 2nd Genesis
Vacant Vacant
Majesty
Bartending school/Under the Coconut Tree Arrow Bicycles
Railroad Recording Basket Gourmet
Runway Studios Vacant
Farragut St.
43r
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CNA Auto Shortcake Bakery
Route
Car Depot
Braxton Pl Route One Stop A
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Crittenden St. Citywide
Auto Paul K och
Shagga Coffee & Restaurant
Route 1
Justice Center
For a more detailed look at this map or any of our back issues, please visit the Hyattsville Life & Times archives at www.issuu.com/ hyattsvillelifeandtimes
Fine Ethiopian Cuisine
in the Arts District of Hyattsville 6040 Baltimore Ave. Hyattsville MD 20781 240-296-3030
Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm Sunday 11am-9pm
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Page 6
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
ROUTE 1
continued from page 4
it’s now the home of Crossover Church. Some vacant buildings come next; the old Blue Bird Cab Co. sign still stands over them. They are currently being used by a landscaping company but the property is owned by Haverford Homes, a developer of single family and condominium communities. An empty building comes next and then the Bed to Go store and the Professional Carry Out, which is closing at the end of this month (see cover story). Pike El Chalateco, a restaurant
serving Tex-Mex and Salvadoran food, is in the same building; it moved in last year. Two churches follow; neither is in use. The first is Pressing Toward the Mark Evangelistic Church, which has rich purple cloths framing the window. The second, a Ghanaian Seventh-Day Adventist church, had a stop-work order issued by the county for doing unauthorized work, said Giunta. Between Hamilton and Gallatin streets sit two former bank buildings. The first is owned by Minority Access, a nonprofit job training center, and it has a 10-year-old brick annex next to it. The other
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one has pillars and is called the Professional Building. It houses A Tangled Skein yarn shop, which as well as selling supplies offers classes in knitting and crocheting.. Both sides, from the Bridge to the Justice Center On the east side after the bridge, after a parking lot, there is a single block of businesses, all contained in the Magruder Flatiron Building. First is Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store, which still has the old Hyattsville Hardware sign on top. In 1992 Franklins was the first in the wave of new businesses that opened on Route 1, starting out as a toy store and deli. Owner Mike Franklin says he’s planning to expand the business later this year into the adjoining vacant space, bringing in more toys and more wine and beer. “We were hanging local art in here years before the concept of Arts District Hyattsville was even born,” he says. The next storefront is also vacant; after that comes TVs Plus, which opened in June in the old Wells Woodworking shop. Second Genesis, an addiction treatment center, is closed. But FA Braids is open and a new hair place, Majesty, is opening soon.
Railroad Recording Studio at 5103 opened last year, and rents out space for musicians to practice and record. The Basket Gourmet at 5101 opened in 2002; the store offers flowers, gift baskets, balloons, and novelties and collectibles. Then you see a small park and it is here that the road changes its name, from Baltimore Avenue to Rhode Island Avenue. On the west side, the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) building at Gallatin Street (5132) still houses the union offices, plus a lawyer, two tax offices, a towing company and a self-defense school. The orange brick building next to it is for sale. After that is the building that housed the former TESST School of Technology, now closed. Also in the building are the Caribbean restaurant Under the Coconut Tree and, above it, the Authentic Bartending School. Then come Arrow Bicycle Shop and the Runway Studios (a hair salon). At the intersection with Farragut Street is the 180 Club, serving 12step recovery groups. After Farragut Street, you’ll see a large colonial-looking building, red brick with white pillars. Several oversized brightly-colored saxophones, a lawn decoration, sit in the park area next to it. It’s the Prince Georges County Services building,
where you’ll find offices for youth and mental health services. After a bus stop and a fountain, you can see two more buildings nearby. One is the District Court building and the other is the county’s District 1 police headquarters. West side, from 43rd Avenue to skate park In this block, called “The Shops at Crittenden Crossing,” you find a mixture of old and new. An awnings store sits back from Route 1, and facing it are a former Japanese car repair shop and a bail bonds place. After that is the Zimstone Gallery (4814) and Paw Zen, a pet spa (4812). They’re new. FM Appliances, which is next, has been there a while, but Town and Country Antiques and Fecosasa Consignment are new. The next building looks like a greenhouse and indeed used to be Marche Florist, which served Hyattsville for many years. It is currently empty and for sale. After Crittenden Street comes a string of car repair shops and then the Shortcake Bakery, recently opened in the old Rhode Island Reds location at 4700 Rhode Island Avenue. Rounding out Hyattsville’s Route 1 corridor you’ll see a group of large concrete ramps in elaborate shapes. It’s the new Melrose Skate Park, which M-NCPPC opened in March..
MissFloribunda Dear Miss Floribunda, I am new to this area and to gardening. Coming from New England, I was advised to expect a long, hot summer. When I started a garden this spring, I wasted money buying plants from local nurseries assuming that whatever is sold in this area will do well in this area. Nothing but a few geraniums are still alive — and those, only in spots. Some areas of the land in back of my house are boggy and others bone dry. My neighbors have given me good advice about raised-bed gardening, soil amendment, and planting trees and shrubs in fall, but these are solutions that involve time, expertise and considerable expense. I audaciously hope for inexpensive immediate gratification — preferably continuing into the future, if that’s not too much to ask. Hard-Up on Hamilton Street Dear Hard-Up, Gardening does require a great deal of patience, but less money than you imagine if you attend plant exchanges and learn how to take cuttings and plant seeds. Be
that as it may, there is a solution to your immediate dilemma this summer. Herbs will give you the most reliable return for the least effort and least expense. There are herbs for dry spots, there are herbs for boggy spots, herbs for sun and herbs for shade. Herbs from Mediterranean areas, whose ancestors evolved on sunbaked crags, actually do better in soil that is not rich. They are immune to disease and harmful insects and can crowd out weeds. Herbs waft delicious fragrances throughout the garden, and fragrance is surely one of the paramount reasons to have a garden at all. Most of them flower briefly, and some — such as lavender, hyssop, chamomile and santalina — will bloom most of the summer. However, herbs are far from being dependent on ephemeral flowers for charm. Their versatile growth habits, their fascinating leaf forms and textures, their variations of green from silvery celadon to deep emerald — all add a great deal of interest to any garden. Many are perennial or self-seed and as you develop your garden they will be helpful in protecting your plantings from those insects and weeds they
defy. They are easily available at farmers’ markets and nurseries. My Aunt Tansy tells me herbs are also delightful and useful when brought indoors. She keeps pots of basil to repel flies and boxes of mint over her kitchen sink to keep the ants away. (Because mint can be invasive, she keeps it in containers even outdoors.) Some thyme and parsley in sunny windows and a potted bay laurel tree provide her with the ingredients of “bouquet garni” when she wants to try one of Julia Child’s recipes; a pot of oregano is her staple for Italian cuisine; rosemary and sage growing outside her back door provides authentic flavor for Provencal recipes and for colonial American favorites. She hangs lavender in the closets to keep moths away. She has myriad recipes for teas, remedies and household cleansers using the herbs in her indoor and outdoor gardens. To speak with Tansy and other gardening experts, please come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 21, at the home of Jeff and Marsha Moulton, 6122 42nd Avenue. If you can’t make it, just send questions to floribundav@ gmail.com.
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
Page 7
COMMENTARY & OPINION ON HISTORY & POLITICS
Hugh’sNews
A resident evil By Hugh Turley
In a 1931 essay titled “A Plea for Intolerance,” Bishop Fulton J. Sheen argued that America was suffering not from intolerance, but tolerance. “Tolerance applies to the erring; intolerance to the error,” he wrote. But for many people, “intolerance is always wrong because [it means] hate, narrow-mindedness and bigotry, [and] tolerance is always right because … it means charity and broadmindedness.” Last month’s trial of convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky revealed that his neighbors and the Penn State University community tolerated his abuse of children for 15 years. According to The Washington Post, neighbor and Penn State University professor Susan Strauss said, “This was a nightmare. There was a monster who lived next door.” The scandal reminded me of how troubled I was 20 years ago when my neighbor, James Kowalski, began to exhibit unusual behavior. In the 1970s, Kowalski performed as Mr. Ott in White Boy, one of D.C.’s earliest punk bands. When I met him in 1986, he was working at a printing
company and lived alone. For years, he appeared normal. Then, in 1991, I began to notice that most of his visitors were young boys. It turned out he was tutoring them, buying them expensive gifts, and taking them camping. Sometimes he invited them to spend the night at his house. Just like Sandusky. I contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for advice. They sent me a profile of behavior exhibited by child predators, which closely matched my neighbor’s. Armed with suspicions but no proof, I confronted Kowalski and warned him that he could go to prison. He told me to mind my own business. I tried to talk with other neighbors and my family but no one believed me. People did not want to hear of it. At the Sandusky trial, Victim 1 testified that he told a school guidance counselor he’d been abused. The counselor did not believe him and questioned the wisdom of going to the authorities. “They said we needed to think about it and [Sandusky] has a heart of gold and he wouldn’t do something like that. So they didn’t believe me,” he testified. One friend, a retired D.C. police detec-
tive, did believe me. On his advice, I sent a letter anonymously to Parris Glendening, the Prince George’s County Executive at the time, with copies to the FBI office in Landover and the Prince George’s County Police. In it, I detailed my suspicions and included addresses of the children, suggesting that the police interview them
Kowalski was not what he appeared to be. Many things are not what they appear to be, and we choose not to notice. and watch my neighbor. I believed an investigation would follow. It did – 10 months later, after 10-year-old George Burdynski, Jr., disappeared from his Brentwood neighborhood on May 24, 1993. A police dragnet descended on the community but, tragically, the child was never found. Kowalski, the only publicly identified suspect in the case, was never charged – but investigators discovered in his home thousands of pictures and videotapes of child pornography, some featuring boys from the same neighborhood as Burdynski. Two of them were Kowalski’s godsons. Eventually, he was charged with 84 counts of child abuse and pornography,
as well as running a pedophile ring with two other area men. Multiple convictions both here and in Winchester, Va., where he owned a home, led to lengthy jail time, and I expect he’s still serving it. Perhaps the long prison sentence demonstrates how intolerant a community can become when it is popular to be so. Without popular approval, though, intolerance of evil can damage one’s career or social standing. Only when it was safe to do so, Strauss told the Post, “We have voices now. We’re not being silent anymore.” But why the silence? After the verdict, she herself admitted, “People would say ‘Keep your boys away from Jerry Sandusky. ’ ” Sandusky, like Kowalski, was not what he appeared to be to most people. Many things are not what they appear to be, and we choose not to notice. It is not a popular thing to say so, but we Americans are especially tolerant of lies. Anyone who is paying attention knows that our leaders often lie to us about very important matters. These lies are repeated by our press and then taught in our schools. Evil flourishes. We ought to be intolerant of lies and to care deeply about what is true and what is false in America. Especially with the recent evidence of what can happen if we choose to look the other way.
presents
Summer
Jam 2012
The second Friday of every month, May through September, 6:30 to 8:30 PM City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street Rain or Shine!
Admission is free; delicious food for sale
July 13 – The Atomic Swing Club August 10 – N2N September 14 – Just Us Tour the station, get your mug shot taken, and more!
Hyattsville Reporter Page HR1
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
the
No. 244 • July 11, 2012
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
Three day yard sale in the works for Oct.
Mark your calendar for Friday, October 5 through Sunday, October 7! Twice each year, the City of Hyattsville’s porches, front lawns, and sidewalks offer up some of the best local bargain shopping you can imagine. By popular demand, our Yard Sale Saturday becomes a three-day event this Fall. Here’s what you need to know to take part: All City Yard Sale permits and fees are
waived during Community Yard Sale Day. Registration is easy. Call 301/985-5000 or visit http://www.hyattsville. org/yardsale, beginning on August 1, 2012. You don’t need to register – but if you do, we’ll add your address to the maps distributed to bargain hunters so they can
find their way to your sale. Speaking of maps, if you’re shopping instead of selling, check back after 3:00 PM on Wednesday, September 26, and we’ll have a complete map of participating addresses ready to print at http://www.hyattsville.org/yardsale. They will also be available in the lobby of
0 5 . $5
the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville. Residents can operate their sale at any time during daylight hours; however, the hours the City will publicize are Friday, October 5 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM; Saturday, October 6 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM; and Sunday, October 7, 2012 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Watch future newsletters for more details!
IN OTHER NEWS... JULY THIRTEENTH SUMMER JAM
The Small Town Energy Program comes to Hyattsville Hyattsville is one of four Maryland communities that will participate in a landmark pilot program funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Small Town Energy Program (STEP) was created to help homeowners lower their energy bills while creating a more comfortable home. The program is already successfully underway in the Town of University Park, and in addition to Hyattsville, will also soon include College Heights Estates and Riverdale Park. STEP allows homeowners to make easy and affordable changes in the energy efficiency of their homes with the help of an “Energy Coach,” an energy efficiency expert who works with STEP participants free of charge and helps them through every step of the program. Participants begin by having a home energy evaluation performed by a qualified home energy evaluator. If they choose, they can then have a qualified contractor make the recommended improvements that will increase their home’s energy efficiency. Energy Coach Suzanne Parmet works with homeowners to answer questions and ensure they receive every possible financial incentive. These incentives include below-market financing rates through a special agreement with Sandy Spring Bank for energy improvements plus limited-time rebates that can range from $400-$4,300, and may pay for
more than half of the homeowner’s energy improvements. The innovative STEP program is only available to Hyattsville residents for one year. Interested homeowners seeking to lower energy bills and create a more comfortable and valuable home are urged to learn more at http://www.smalltownenergy.org, or contact Suzanne Parmet at energycoach@smalltownenergy.org or 240-695-3991. This summer, look for the STEP Summer Associates coming to Hyattsville with more information about the program.
About the Small Town Energy Program (STEP) STEP is funded by the United States Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Neighborhood Program. STEP is a three-year, $1.42 million initiative to reduce energy usage by 20% in 20% of the homes in University Park (and now in the three communities into which STEP is expanding). The program’s goal is to create a model community energy transformation program that serves as a roadmap for other small towns across the US. The program began in August 2010 and runs through July 2013. For more information about STEP, visit www.mystep-up.org.
Who says Friday the Thirteenth is unlucky? If it is an Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam night, that just can’t possibly be true. Held from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. on the second Friday of the month from May 11 through September 14, this event includes delicious food (burgers, chicken and hot dogs) provided and prepared by Outback Steakhouse of Hyattsville, a beer and wine garden, musical entertainment, the ever-popular moon bounce, and Mandy the Clown and her very talented face painter. The Summer Jam Series is held at the Municipal Building at 4310 Gallatin Street - rain or shine! In the event of inclement weather, the Jam moves into the multi-purpose room. Attendance at Summer Jam is free and open to everyone. There is a charge for food and beverages. The schedule is as follows: July 13 - The Atomic Swing Club brings their unique blend of jazz, lounge, blues, rockabilly and big band August 10 - N2N returns to the Summer Jam stage to perform classic R&B, Soul and Funk September 14 - Just Us featuring our own Sgt. Chris Purvis will close this year’s Summer Jam Series with some good time Rock ‘n Roll. http://www.hyattsville.org/summerjam
PARENT & CHILD PROGRAM – SUMMER SESSIONS If you’re a regular at the school year Parent & Child Program, good news! A mini version of the program will be held Wednesdays at the City Municipal Building beginning later this summer. Dates for the rest of the summer are July 18, July 25, August 1, August 8, and August 15. Join us from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM in the first floor Multi-Purpose Room. $3/child; pre-paid admission coupons valid. A parent or caregiver must remain with the child during the program. Free play and structured activities are included.
ON-STREET PARKING COMING TO BALTIMORE AVENUE/ROUTE 1 Parking is coming to the Route One/Baltimore Avenue corridor during off-peak hours. The State Highway Ad-
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CALENDAR JuLY 2012 Friday, July 13
Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam Featuring Atomic Swing Club 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM @ City Municipal Building - outdoors on the parking lot and Gallatin Street in fair weather; indoors in the Multi-Purpose Room in the event of rain!
Monday, July 16 City Council Meeting 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Wednesday, July 18
Hyattsville Environmental Committee Meeting 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Monday, July 23 City Council Meeting 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Monday, August 6 City Council Meeting 8:00 PM – 10 PM
Tuesday, August 7 ministration is expected to install signage within the next few weeks. New spaces will be created between Madison Street and the Route One Alternate Bridge. The City requested the changes from the State Highway Administration to help accommodate the growing retail and restaurant developments in the area. Visit http://www. hyattsville.org/parking to view a map.
MOSQUITO REMINDERS The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Mosquito Control Program performs all mosquito control activities in the state. The program started in June and continues into early September. State Mosquito Control personnel conduct adult mosquito surveillance and, if certain statemandated thresholds are met, conduct spraying operations. For 2012, adult mosquito surveillance and possible spraying will be on Tuesday nights. To report a problem area in your neighborhood, please call the City’s Department of Public Works at 301/985-5032 or visit our website: http://www.hyattsville.org/mosquitos. We will pass on the required information to the state MDA. Please be prepared to share the following: your address; time of day when mosquitoes are the worst; and any area of stagnant water in the vicinity. The reported areas are relayed to the Mosquito Control Section on a weekly basis. For more information, please visit http://www.hyattsville. org/mosquitos.
SENIOR SERVICES Families, caregivers and seniors: Do you have any agerelated questions or concerns? Please call Hyattsville’s Senior Services Coordinator, Emily Stowers at 301/9855058, or email estowers@hyattsville.org.
THIRD ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR SET FOR SEPTEMBER Save the date for the Third Annual Hyattsville Community Multicultural Health and Wellness Fair, scheduled for Saturday, September 15, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville, 6201 Belcrest Road. A free community-wide event of screenings, demonstrations, education and training, and information dissemination. Questions? Contact Mary Carter-Williams, Ph.D. at
carterwilli@theisgrp.com or 301/927-6113.
PEDESTRIAN ALERT: JEFFERSON & 43RD AVENUE CROSSWALK CLOSED In preparation for the replacement of the Hyattsville Elementary School retaining wall, as well as other playground improvements, the crosswalk at Jefferson & 43rd will be blocked for twelve weeks. Lane closures will occur periodically. Watch our website for updates.
REDISTRICTING PLAN ADOPTED; FIND DETAILS ONLINE
National Night Out Against Crime 7:00 PM Magruder Park
Friday, August 10
Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam Featuring N2N 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM @ City Municipal Building - outdoors on the parking lot and Gallatin Street in fair weather; indoors in the Multi-Purpose Room in the event of rain!
Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street.
The City adopted a redistricting plan earlier this month. Find details here: http://www.hyattsville.org/redistricting.
CITY BUDGET DETAILS AVAILABLE ONLINE The City’s new fiscal year, FY13, began on July 1, 2012. Residents can view documents related to the FY13 budget online at http://www.hyattsville.org/budget.
VETERAN SERVICES Looking for counseling, assistance with veterans’ benefits, or other information? The Prince George’s County Vet Center services County residents who have served their country. Services are provided at no charge to the veteran. For more information, visit www.vetcenter.va.gov, or call the Prince George’s County Vet Center, located at 7905 Malcolm Rd., Suite 101, Clinton, MD 21735, at 301/856-7173.
NIXLE The City is now using Nixle to send public safety alerts and in- formation via both email and text message. This system replaces the SafeCity website previously in use. Many of our neighboring jurisdictions also use Nixle to send out information. Please note that Nixle won’t report on every incident – typically alerts are sent when the HCPD needs to alert the public to a potentially dangerous situation, or when we are asking for your help solving a crime. In other cases, Nixle messages relate to road closures, power outages,
etc. If you have a nixle.com account, there is no need to create a new one. Simply log in and add the City of Hyattsville to your wire. New to Nixle? Register at www.nixle.com or enroll using the widget online at http://www.hyattsville.org/stayinformed.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK Are you on Facebook? You can now keep up with City events and happenings at www.facebook.com/cityofhyattsville. When you see Vainglorious, the silver metal bird sculpture at Centennial Park, you’ll know you’re in the right place. He is kind enough to serve as the City’s wall photo.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
COMMUNITY CALENDAR July 15
Do you know where your food has been? You will after seeing Fresh, a documentary about the industrialization of agriculture and its consequences. A free screening is part of this month’s “Conversations in the Corridor,” cosponsored by Big Bad Woof and Eat Local First. After the movie, join the discussion with some leaders in the area’s eatlocal movement. Free. 5 to 7 p.m. Busboys & Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue. Suite 104. 301.779.2787.
July 20
The Fishing Program for Beginners teaches participants about casting, handling fish, fishing ethics and safety and fish biology. Program includes outdoor lecture and hands-on fishing. Ages 6 to 12, with a parent. $5. 4 to 6 p.m. Lake Artemesia, Berwyn Road. & 55th Avenue, Berwyn Heights. 301.627.7755.
July 21
Catch up on your summer read-
ing and see what insights others have at the Hyattsville Branch Library Book Discussion of Philipp Meyer’s American Rust, novel of the lost American dream and the desperation that arises from its loss. Free. 3 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
July 22
Take in the summer sunset at Arts on the Waterfront as the Grupo Miel Band performs its signature Latin-infused rhythms. The band is
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a part of the Autism Musical Crusade, a group of musicians who raise funds to benefit autism charities. Free. 6 to 7:30 p.m. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371.
July 26
Never thought an ordinary milk jug could be used as art? Think again as Milk Jug Masterpieces! shows you how to turn one into a lantern. Materials will be provided. Ages 5 to 13. Space is limited; register with your parent or guardian at the Information Desk in the library’s Children’s Department. Free. 2 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
July 27
Haven’t gotten to a campfire yet this summer? Join the Xtreme Teens/ Pre-teens as they host a S’mores Night. Ages 10 to 17. Free. 7 to 10 p.m. Prince George’s Community Center, 6600 Adelphi Road. 301.864.1611.
July 29
Busboys & Poets and Art Under Pressure hosts four local authors to read from and sign their books. Local authors include David L. Levy (Revolt of the Animals), An-
dra Damron (Images of America: Hyattsville), Julia Duin (Days of Fire and Glory; Knights, Maidens and Dragons) and Richard Morris (Well Considered, Cologne No. 10 For Men). Free. 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Zinn Room, Busboys & Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue. Suite 104. 301.779.2787.
August 10
The Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam continues this evening with a moon bounce for kids and a beer garden for adults. N2N will perform classic R&B, soul, and funk. Burgers, chicken, and hot dogs will be prepared by Outback Steakhouse. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. 301.985.5020.
Through August 11
The Prince George’s County Xtreme Teens Safe Summer offers a season of night-owl fun until midnight at 22 public facilities, including Heurich Turf Field and community centers in Bladensburg and North Brentwood. Sports, campfires, laser tag, movies and even gardening lessons are on the schedule. Most events are free and for ages 12 to 17. For more information, see www.pgxtremeteens.com.
Parent & Child Program
SAVE THE DATE! National Night Out Against Crime is Tuesday, August 7 Hyattsville City Police Department hosts the City’s Night Out at Magruder Park, 40th & Hamilton Streets
More details coming soon!
If you’re a regular at the school year Parent & Child Program, good news! A mini version of the program will be held Wednesdays at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, beginning later this summer. Dates for the rest of the summer are:
July 18, July 25, August 1, August 8, and August 15. Join us from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM in the first floor Multi-Purpose Room. $3/child; pre-paid admission coupons valid. A parent or caregiver must remain with the child during the program. Free play and structured activities are included. For more information, visit http://www.hyattsville.org/pcprogram
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
CLOSING
continued from page 1
Korea and my mother worked there as a cook before they bought it. It was the sole source of income for our family and it sent us three children to the University of Maryland. It was the American dream for them.”
Page 9
But it was more than a job to them, she added. “They built a strong bond with their customers.” The Shins came to Dudrow’s 60th birthday party earlier this year (and brought home fries). And Rhine says that when he doesn’t go there for a day, the owners ask his employees, who’ve gone over for
soda, where he is. “When I go in for breakfast, they know what I want. If I nod my head, it’s just coffee. If I hold up one finger, it’s an egg sandwich. And they get cooking right away. They do this with a lot of people. I was hoping they’d change their minds about leaving.” But their daughter said her parents had
finally decided to close. “It’s a hard decision for my parents,” said Chan. “It’s not the money [they’ll miss]; it’s the people. I asked my mother what she wanted to say to their customers. And she said she wants everyone to know that they really appreciate them and thanks everyone who came there.”
Hyattsville Farmers Market Fresh local produce — the best from Southern Maryland farms
Tuesdays, 2 to 6 p.m.
Cookbook giveaway and exchange! We accept SNAP, WIC, & senior coupons
A CommunitySponsored Enterprise 3505 Hamilton Street (the former BB&T Building, across from Bestway)
Sponsored by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission
Take the
Buy Local Challenge July 21-29, 2012
Pledge to eat at least one thing from a local farm every day during Buy Local Week! Individuals, businesses and organizations can take the “Buy Local Challenge”, a voluntary pledge to include local products (produce, eggs, meat, fruit, wine, etc.) in your meals for one week.Visit the web site to find out more about the Challenge and download your personalized certificate when you pledge. Support farms for a healthier world. Learn more at www.buy-local-challenge.com
Page 10
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
Residents sell art, crafts online By Scarlett Salem
The city’s first-ever juried art show and street festival, Handmade in Hyattsville, is scheduled for November 3 at Queens Chapel Town Center. It will feature the work of artists living in and around the Arts District. But you don’t have to wait until then to see the creativity of your neighbors on display. Just visit Etsy.com, the self-proclaimed “world’s handmade marketplace” since 2005. Vendors set up virtual storefronts on the site and sell in three categories: handmade, vintage (defined as more than 20 years old) and supplies for
Eleanor Pernia Studio of Dance
the artist or crafter. With 42 million visitors a month and more than 875,000 shops, it offers an unprecedented audience for artists — and selection for browsers. “Etsy has changed the entire world of small businesses like this,” said longtime resident Victoria Moss, who opened the Etsy shop That Clever Clementine last year. “You either did festivals or fairs or put things in shops or consignments. Nobody really had a website.” Moss was the executive artistic director of Tappers With Attitude Inc., a nonprofit youth ensemble in Takoma Park, until it folded in June 2010. “That job was my life,” she said. “We closed the studio and then it was like ’OK, time to reinvent
yourself.’” Moss, who has also worked as a hat maker in Chicago, turned to Etsy the following January as a way to not only generate income but to also offer the project bags she makes from varying types of fabric to a specific audience — knitters. “I’m not going to be the Donald Trump of knitting bags, but I didn’t think I would be,” she laughs. “I passed the 100 sales mark at 6 months, which exceeded my expectations.” An Etsy buyer can the review the seller, the product, and the shipping experience. Moss currently has a 100 percent positive feedback rating on the site. Though the site does charge a list fee (20 cents per listing) and a transaction fee
est. 1962
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some sunlight, and some good products.” If her shop name didn’t give it away, she sells handknitted items such as scarves, hats, gloves, and even tank tops. She also sells custom yarn that she has collected over the years. Others have different motives for turning to the site. Local resident Loni McCollin, who works part-time as a clinical herbalist at Knowles Apothecary in Kensington, was diagnosed with celiac disease when she was 26. Desperate for tasty gluten-free scarlett salem recipes, she began experimentVictoria Moss is one of the many ing in the kitchen. Using teff local residents who sell their creflour, which is made from an ations on Etsy.com. Ethiopian grain, she started with bread and then expanded into (3.5 percent for sold products) to cupcakes and wedding cakes. sellers on the site, it is regarded as “I really wanted to create a safe being very user-friendly. place for people to get food,” said Hyattsville resident Kathleen McCollin. “It’s easy to jump on Ellington, who’s been a hair styl- the bandwagon and think you’re ist for 16 years at Bananas in Col- making something gluten-free. lege Park, opened the shop Knit- But if you want to do it right, then Blitz in 2006. She likes being able you need a separate location and to fit sales around her schedule; separate tools and you need to craft shows are generally on the be serious about it.” To avoid the weekend, which also happens to sometimes hefty shipping costs be the busiest time at the salon. associated with food products, She does not want to stop work- she delivers in Hyattsville and a ing as a stylist and views Etsy as a few surrounding areas for a $5 fee. creative outlet and a medium in The list of Hyattsville Etsy venwhich to send her creations out dors doesn’t stop there. A recent into the world. search using the site’s “buy lo“It’s easy. Anyone can do it,” she cal” feature turned up nearly 500 says. “You need a digital camera, items in Hyattsville zip codes.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
Page 11
HOMEOWNER ALERT!
Get Your Foreclosure Reviewed Before the July 31 Deadline FREE
HELP !
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If you were in foreclosure in 2009 or 2010
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Meet with a counselor
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Get your questions answered
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HomeFree- USA is a HUD approved, Government funded 501(c)(3) not- for- profit housing counseling organization.
WATCH OUT FOR SCAMS! There is only one Independent Foreclosure Review. Beware of anyone who asks you to pay a fee for any foreclosure review service such as completing the Request for Review Form. Learn more at www.IndependentForeclosureReview.com
Page 12
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
PRINCIPAL
FrOm One OF Our custOmers On HOW tO Be HAppy...
continued from page 1
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CLASSIC CARDIOLOGY We fix broken hearts! SERVICES WE OFFER: CARDIOVASCULAR EVALUATIONS INTERNAL MEDICINE EVALUATIONS HYPERTENSION DIABETES MELLITUS PRE-OP CONSULTATIONS NUCLEAR STRESS TESTING ECHOCARDIOGRAMS VENOUS SONOGRAMS CAROTID DOPPLERS ARTERIAL DOPPLERS BLOOD SCREENINGS
PACEMAKER ANALYSIS HOLTER MONITORING CHOLESTEROL SCREENING BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS CARDIAC CATHERIZATIONS HEMO DYNAMIC MONITORING PULSE OXIMETRY YEARLY PHYSICAL EXAMS PATIENT HEALTH EDUCATION CLASSES SPIROMETRY
has spent the last 12 years as an administrator in two Iowa school districts. Until last month, she was the principal at Robert Lucas Elementary School in her hometown of Iowa City. Lucas is a Title I school, as Hyattsville was until the upcoming school year. For a school to qualify for this federal funding program, which budgets for specific support positions, at least 40 percent of its students must qualify for and enroll in the Free And Reduced Meal (FARM) Program. Lucas had 46.8 percent last year. Hyattsville, on the other hand, reported 73.4 percent. But because of varying requirements at the municipal level – Prince George’s County’s benchmark is 75 percent – it lost its Title I status and with it, $200,000. “When you’ve been in education as long as I have, you’ve been through drastic budget cuts more than once,” said Burton. “Our challenge will be to continue at the same level while losing some of the support services.” She plans to schedule an open house at the school this summer to meet students and parents. Asked about her goals for the school, she said, “My focus will be on increasing student achievement. Test scores are only one measure of proficiency.”
New HES principal Julia Burton
Though new to Hyattsville, she’s familiar with other parts of the Washington area. “I’ve come to the area numerous times for conferences and vacations,” she said. During a trip here last summer, she began to think that it might not be a bad place to live. As for living in Hyattsville, “I haven’t ruled it out, but I haven’t ruled it in,” she said. “I’m looking everywhere.” Two things she likes about the city are its being part of the Gateway Arts District – “my mother is a professional artist” – and its proximity to the University of Maryland and its potential pool of volunteers. Last year, her school was one of four “adopted” by University of Iowa students. Her son, Jake, is a rising junior at the university. She also has two older daughters; Sarah lives in Colorado and Emily, in Wisconsin.
PIANO LESSONS
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RAYMON K. NELSON, M.D. ABIM BOARD CERTIFIED CARDIOLOGY & INTERNAL MEDICINE 6525 BELCREST ROAD, SUITE 220 HYATTSVILLE, MD 20782 (across from PG PLAZA)
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Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
Page 13
STORMS
continued from page 1
on his property. Throughout the city several branches littered the ground, while others dangled dangerously above parked cars like so many swords of Damocles. Still, Hyattsville was lucky compared to the neighboring towns of Bladensburg and Riverdale Park, where damage to apartment buildings displaced many residents. Cleanup from that storm was still in progress when a much bigger one hit on June 29, causing widespread, hurricanelike destruction. At Top of the Park, parts of a roof ended up on the grass, in the power line, against two trucks parked on 41st Avenue, and in a tree on Farragut Street. Along Hamilton Street, fallen trees smashed at least two cars on opposite sides of the street. That night, more than a million people in the Washington area alone lost electricity,
and some wouldn’t get it back for more than a week. The storm, we learned later, was a derecho. But if you lived in one of the hundreds of Hyattsville households plunged into darkness, you didn’t much care what it was called. Especially since you were on day two of what would turn out to be a record-setting streak of days with temperatures of 95 degrees or higher (11, at last count). Outages seemed to be concentrated south of Hamilton Street, west of Queens Chapel Road, and east of 43rd Avenue. Queens Chapel Town Center was dark, as were businesses along Route 1. (A block away, the Hyattsville Post Office on Gallatin Street was open with no electricity, good news if you wanted to buy stamps or check your box.) Most of the Mall at Prince Georges was open, and lines snaked around the food court as heat-stricken hungry locals sought out sustenance (not to mention outlets for their many chargers). Meanwhile, nearby
box stores Marshall’s and Ross were closed. Target found a middle ground, operating with minimal electricity. With only the street entrance open and about a quarter of the fluorescent lights on, the store was selling everything except its frozen food. Cashiers and credit-card machines were working; the checkout conveyor belts weren’t. Meanwhile, lights being out at virtually all city intersections led to police simply blocking off streets, so that traffic could continue to move safely in two directions if not four. On the Capital Beltway, some motorists had to navigate around trees in traffic lanes and exit ramps. One of them was local resident Brian Carl, who had donned a wool tuxedo to serve as best man at a 1 p.m. wedding in Silver Spring. A two-hour ceremony. With no electricity either at the church or the reception hall. “When I got home, I weighed myself and I had lost 10 pounds,” he said. Councilmember Eric Wingard was one of the few people able to purchase a gen-
Helping Sell Hyattsville
And our Neighboring Community
Ann Barrett, Realtor® Salesperson, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
3116 Upshur Street, Mount Rainier $179,000 Lots of space in this 3 Bedroom, 2 bath brick rambler with two finished levels. Lots of updates including A/C, roof, electrical panel, stove, paint, carpet. Must see inside!
UNDER CONTRACT 4207 Jefferson St. Charming Victorian Farmhouse in the heart of Hyattsville! 3BRs/2 baths, front porch with swing, gracious room sizes, classic details throughout! A/C & detached garage too! Offered for $325,000. Open Father’s Day 6/17/12 from 1-4pm. Bring Dad!
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Average annual savings of
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erator that Saturday. Arriving at the Bowie Home Depot at 6:15 a.m., shortly after it opened, he got one of the last three. Elsewhere in Hyattsville, Northwestern High School was turned into a cooling center, with the Red Cross offering water, juice, and maybe most importantly, a refuge from the scorching heat. The Hyattsville library, which normally closes at 5 p.m. on Saturdays, was one of five in the county to stay open until 8 as a cooling center. Across the street, Prince George’s Plaza Community Center was one of 13 to stay open until 10 p.m. Then many people had to go home to face a second sweltering evening. One New Jersey couple, in town for a family milestone celebration on Sunday, found that their College Park hotel had no electricity. They considered themselves lucky to find a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Northeast Washington. The feeling must have been mutual: The hotel charged them $229 a night. The usual price? According to a search done the following week: $123.
Honored as Long & Foster’s Top Sales Agent for Southern Maryland/Prince George’s County Region for 2011!
M McGibbon Ins and Fin Svc Inc Mark W McGibbon CLU ChFC CASL, Agent Bus: 301-927-5030 Fax: 301-927-6573 www.markmcgibbon.com mark.mcgibbon.nysc@statefarm.com
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Weekly & Monthly Laundry Service Plans Available
Page 14
Hyattsville Life & Times | July 2012
THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS HEATING UP! Call Larry Perrin, ® Realtor to sell your home! 301-983-0601 LARRY’S LISTINGS: FOR SALE: 3627 Farragut Street $279,995 3707 38th Avenue $199,995 4111 29th Street $299,995 3105 Webster Street $299,000 3720 Jackson $265,000 5302 39th Avenue $199,995 - SOLD 2507 Chapman Rd $139,995 - SOLD 9515 Dunbrook Ct $199,995 - SOLD 4112 40th Street $209,000 - SALE PENDING 2414 Lewisdale Drive $174,995 - SALE PENDING 3817 Newark Street $139,995 - SALE PENDING 9701 Leather Fern $205,000 - SALE PENDING Hunting Ridge Condominium 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath $125,000
Call
LARRY PERRIN
LARRY PERRIN PROPERTIES ®
Realtor ®
“THE” Hyattsville Realtor since 1977
301.983.0601 • 301.220.2229 Selling Your Home? Free Home Value Estimate! If your home is currently listed by another Realtor ®®, please disregard this offer. It is not my intention to solicit the offerings of other brokers.