Hyattsville Life & Times December 2009 by Hyattsville Life and Times

SEASONAL SELECTIONS

LIBRARY HOURS SHORTENED

SOLAR PANELS AND ENERGY COSTS

Got relatives coming in for a visit? Our guide to holiday happenings in the area will help keep them entertained. PAGE 3

Budget cuts shorten Prince George's County library hours and residents are unhappy with the change. PAGE 4

Miss Floribunda explains how solar panels can be used to reduce energy costs in homes. PAGE 8

Residents prepare for changes to trash day by Paula Minaert The city’s year-long pilot program to reduce trash pickup service from twice a week to once a week is scheduled to begin Jan. 4. But at press time, city staff was still working on an ordinance that would amend the city code to support the program. Revision efforts have been going on for some time, with both city staff and the Code Enforcement Advisory Committee offering recommendations. The last ordinance draft available to the Life & Times was the ninth version. Committee chair Nina Faye said, “Code Enforcement staff discovered that there was nothing in the code mandating when trash cans could be put out for collection. The committee, tasked with suggesting solutions, proposed that [it be] no earlier than 4 p.m. the afternoon before pickup day. As there are a number of small and oddly shaped lots in town, the committee also proposed that Toters could be stored behind the front property line of a home [instead of behind the home].” But she added that there were many changes made to the health and sanitation portion of the code, and the committee had problems with some of them. Faye sees the most pressing problem as “the definition of hazardous waste and the lack of

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 43 Easton, MD 21601

TRASH continued on page 11

Hyattsville Life&Times

Vol. 6 No. 12

Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper

Santa's got a brand new badge by Kyle M. Jones

PHOTOS BY CATIE CURRIE Above: Santa's lap does double duty for Aashinia Dickens and A Lina Roberts-Way during the city's annual Breakfast with Santa, L on Dec. 5. Left: Drake Cartwright takes his turn on Santa's lap. o

Santa breakfast

with

HEARD AROUND HYATTSVILLE HL&T asked, “Will you do your holiday shopping in Hyattsville?"

Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781

December 2009

“Yes. I'm going to try to do at least 80 percent of my shopping here.“ — Erica Riggio

“Some of it. I go to Bowie, Bethesda and here.” — Helen Knowles

“A little bit. We do more online.” — Dan Myers

“Yes, but I go to the stores in Columbia, too.” — Piyali Kundu

The holiday season brings a lot of dreams for children, many featuring toys, presents and Santa Claus. For several local kids, the Maryland Association of School Resource Officers (MASRO) will make a few of those dreams come true through the Santa with a Badge program. On Dec. 19, police officers from Hyattsville and other area forces will take needy children shopping at The Mall at Prince George’s. Each child partners with an officer, who drives them to the mall from the Hyattsville police department with lights flashing and sirens blaring. There, Santa greets each SANTA continued on page 10

Community discusses plans for expanded Hyatt Park by Kyle M. Jones On Dec. 3, Hyattsville residents gathered to discuss possible improvements to Hyatt Park and the newly acquired historic house and grounds adjacent to the park, north of Hamilton Street across from the Safeway supermarket. The property had been home to Jack and Jill Nursery School for 67 years. In 2008, owners Jim and Susan Quisenberry closed the school and put the property on the market. The MarylandNational Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) PARK continued on page 10

Included: The December 9, 2009 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section

Page 2

Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

FromTheEditor The local economy: We're all in this together by Paula Minaert

hen I am looking for a one-of-akind birthday card or gift, I head to Franklin’s General Store on Route 1. Chances are good I’ll find something I like — and I can walk there. When I need slacks hemmed, I take them to Hamilton Cleaner’s in West Hyattsville. They do good work. I’ve eaten at Shagga and the Calvert House and enjoyed my meals. Other Hyattsville residents have their favorite local businesses. Doug Dudrow eats breakfast almost every morning at the Profes-

A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, 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 Hyattsvillelifeandtimes@gmail.com. Executive Editor Paula Minaert paula@hyattsvillelife.com 301-335-2519 Managing Editor Susie Currie susie@hyattsvillelife.com 301-633-9209 Editorial Intern Allison Lyons Production Ashley Perks Advertising Director Felix Speight advertising@hyattsvillelife.com Writers & Contributors Daniel Hart Victoria Hille Tim Hunt Cassie Johnson Kimberly Schmidt Hugh Turley Board of Directors Julia Duin - President Chris Currie - Vice President Jamie Aycock - General Counsel Paula Minaert - Secretary 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 7,500. HL&T is a member of the National Newspaper Association.

sional Coffee Shop on Route 1. “Best durn hash browns around here,” he enthuses. “You can get a hernia carrying your tray from the counter to the table, they put so much food on it.” It’s a mom-and-pop operation, he says, and a lot of police officers and fire fighters eat there. And when he was home for a while after a stay in the hospital, the owners brought food to his house. Rumi Matsuyama waxes lyrical about the restaurant Rhode Island Reds, also on Route 1. “I love the food and the atmosphere. It’s a great place to hang out Friday nights with your kids. I really want a place like this to exist in our community. I hope other

people will go there, too, because we need to support them.” People have posted messages on the HOPE listserv about their good experiences with the Tire Place and Rancho Grande. And I’ve heard about the great sewing/spinning/ crocheting/you-name-it classes offered at A Tangled Skein. These people have hit on something: Local businesses are important to the city. The reasons aren’t always obvious. The organization Reclaim Democracy points out that community-based businesses actually help build a strong local economy because they often use local services. They help create more choice for buyers, because they tend to be more responsive to local needs. In

fact, they have a stake in the health of the community. For them to survive, we need to be doing well. Often these businesses get involved in local charitable efforts; witness Arrow Bicycle's cyclocross fundraiser for Special Olympics, which we wrote about last month. And later this month, Outback Steakhouse will treat dozens of area youth to lunch (see our cover story, "Santa's Got a Brand-New Badge"). Hyattsville used to have lots of businesses. In 1979, when my husband and I moved here, we shopped at the hardware store and the fireplace shop, and we ate at the Great Wall restaurant across from Lee’s on Hamilton Street. Doug Dudrow remembers many

other places from his childhood in the city: a bakery, a bowling alley, a movie theater, a grocery store, a drug store (owned by his grandfather), and a number of restaurants. It’s a new world now, what with large malls all over the metropolitan area and the Internet. Recently, after the economic slump, the city lost at least two businesses that had been open only a short while: the Beaders’ Workshop and the Book Nook. It’s a great opportunity gone, both for them and for us. The good news is that we have also gained some businesses, such as the restaurants up at University Town Center. Let’s do our part to keep our local businesses strong.

MyTwoCents Save the Hyattsville Middle School Creative and Performing Arts program by Rebecca Wilson Hyattsville Middle School is in danger of losing its celebrated Creative and Performing Arts program. The Prince George’s County Board of Education is reviewing the program in light of their proposed boundary changes to redistribute students from overcrowded schools throughout the county into schools that are under capacity. Overcrowding is often an indication of a school’s success, since families given a choice tend to flee from failing schools and flock to high-performing ones. By that measure, HMS is a huge success at 121% of its rated capacity, but no one complains about the crowding. Impressive trophies and awards vying for space in the school office also attest to its excellence. The CPA program, established in 2002 with a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, includes studies in Orchestra, Band, Chorus, Dance, Theatre Arts, Creative Writing, Visual Arts, or Media Production. Students audition for limited seats in the program and those admitted must maintain strict academic, behavioral and attendance standards to remain in it. Many

PHOTO BY MARGARETTA ROTHENBERG Students from Hyattsville Middle School's Creative and Performing Arts program perform "Bye Bye Birdie" last month. of these talented students are also academically gifted, having won the county spelling bee three years ago and the county Science Bowl championship for the past two years (a competition that included schools more specifically oriented towards science and technology). The school is racially, ethnically, and economically diverse, with more than 60 percent of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. The CPA program encourages families to participate actively in the school, and students travel

to compete in national and international competitions, from which they usually bring home top honors. The program also provides a smooth segue into the Jim Henson School of Arts, Media, and Communications at Northwestern High School, for which HMS is a feeder school. Together, these schools form an essential part of our Gateway Arts District. Of the 735 students who attend HMS, 290 are enrolled in the CPA program. Since about half of HMS’s CPA students are admitted from outside its neighborhood boundar-

ies, board members may be tempted to simply end the program and the busing it requires. But dismantling one of the rare successes in the county’s school system would be a devastating mistake with long-term consequences for our community. The board also might be tempted to transplant the program into an under-enrolled school, but that would be both dangerous and expensive. The CPA program has grown and thrived under the careful stewardship of HMS Principal Gail Golden, who has assembled a first-rate faculty and revamped some of the facilities to accommodate the special needs of the program, such as constructing a professional quality dance studio. Having this excellent program in our community attracts families to Prince George’s County, thus affecting the value of our homes. Losing it would seriously erode the tremendous progress our school system has made in recent years. The board should replicate and expand its most successful programs, not dismantle them. Nothing impacts the prosperity of our county more than the quality of our public schools, and success stories like Hyattsville Middle School should set the standard. Rebecca Wilson is the mother of an alumna of the Creative Writing program and served as HMS PTA president last year. She can be reached at rebwlsn@gmail.com.

Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

Page 3

Guide for holiday hosts by Susie Currie If you've lived in Hyattsville for any length of time, chances are you've played host to relatives or friends turned tourists. December is a great time to venture into the nation's capital and surrounding areas, and not just to see the Washington Ballet's Nutcracker (Dec. 10 to 27 at the Warner Theatre) or A Christmas Carol (through Jan. 3 at the newly renovated Ford's Theatre). Here are a few places we've taken our own families and friends over the years — and a few that are on our list for this year. If model trains are your thing, there are three options close at hand. The National Capital Trackers return for the seventh annual Holiday Trains and Planes show, a display of miniature villages, trains and tunnels at the College Park Aviation Museum (301.864.6029). And at the District's Union Station, the Royal Norwegian Embassy has the trains running on time with miniature hand-crafted replicas winding through the mountains and fjords of Norway (202.289.1908). The best outdoor train garden, with scenes made of plant-based natural materials, is at the U.S. Botanic Garden. This year's fairy-tale themed landscape includes Snow White's cottage and the Owl and the Pussycat's peagreen boat. We always time our holiday visit to the Botanic Garden for late afternoon. That way, when we're done, we can cross the street to admire the National Christmas Tree. This year's, outfitted entirely in LEDs, is being billed as the most energy efficient one ever. It's surrounded by 50 smaller trees, one for each state, and there's a full schedule of free performances nightly through Dec. 23. To access it, go to www.nps.gov and search

for "2009 national tree schedule." Nearby is the National Chanukah Menorah, which will be lit on Dec. 13 in a special ceremony complete with latkes, dreidels, and a performance by the United States Air Force Band. See www. nationalmenorah.org for details. With all the breakfasts Santa attends at this time of year, it's a wonder he can fit into his red suit. In early December, he stops at Hyattsville and many surrounding areas (even coming by plane to the Aviation Museum). And yes, Maryland, there really is a Santa Claus: Saint Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop of Myra, who is still revered in many Eastern European countries — especially on Dec. 6, his feast day, when children awake to find candy in their shoes. He reportedly provided dowries for an impoverished family's three daughters by throwing a bag of gold down their chimney each time it was needed. (The three golden balls on every pawnshop sign are a tribute to St. Nick, the patron saint of pawnbrokers.) The first Saturday in December, Riversdale Mansion introduces the bishop at Breakfast With Sint Niklaas, a nod to the Calverts' Flemish forerunners. On Jan. 9, you can return to the mansion in your period best for the Twelfth Night Ball; space is limited and reservations are required (301.864.0420). On Dec. 12 and 13, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens hosts a Russian Winter Festival. Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden will be on hand, and children can create their very own traditional kokoshnik (lady's headdress) or gentleman's hat. Call for admission information (202.686.5807). If those inflatables springing up through the neighborhood make you pine for good old-fashioned

strings of colored bulbs, head to Watkins Park's 23rd Annual Winter Festival of Lights. Over a million lights form dozens of drive-through displays; new this year are reservation-only weekend hayrides. Call for admission and times (301.699.2456). Lights are just part of the show at National Harbor. Gaylord National Resort’s Christmas on the Potomac features, among other things, a 15,000-squarefoot walk-through display made entirely of ice; the Tree of Light, a 60-foot glass Christmas tree; an outdoor ice rink; twice-daily indoor snowfall; and a scavenger hunt involving, of all things, Peeps (usually found in Easter baskets). Admission charges for most events; call 877.352.3629. For our children, it wouldn't be Christmas without a trip to Darnall's Chance House Museum (301.952.8010) for its annual Gingerbread House Contest. What the show lacks in space — it fits easily in two smallish rooms of the historic house — it makes up for in creativity. No Hanseland-Gretel cottages here; think Victorian mansions, tiki huts, ski chalets, even haunted houses, in addition to the more seasonal toy workshops and nativity scenes. Visitors can vote for their favorites in both the adult and child category. Afterwards, if it's not too chilly, head to the adjoining 12-acre School House Pond for a scenic trip around the threequarter-mile boardwalk. With all the events to choose from, the toughest part in entertaining your out-of-towners may just be fitting in all that you want to do. Season's greetings from all of us at the Life & Times. Susie Currie is the managing editor of the Hyattsville Life & Times.

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Budget cuts shorten library hours by Hannah Bruchman The county's libraries will be closed for 11 days this month, and most have already reduced hours to help solve a $2.4 million budget shortfall. The Prince George's County Memorial Library System implemented the new hours on Oct. 4. Hyattsville is now one of only three branches open Sundays, and it closes at 6 p.m. on Thursdays — three hours earlier than before. Some branches lost up to 9 hours a week. But all 18 branches will be closed from Dec. 24 to Jan. 3. During that time, officials said, loan periods will be extended and fines will not accrue. Hyattsville resident Megan Hiltz, a frequent visitor to the library, wasn't happy with the changes. “It’s

inconvenient,” she said. “There’s less time that’s available for me to get in there. As for the budget cuts, I’m [worried] that our library won’t be as up to date as other libraries.” Library spokesperson Bridget Warren said that there haven't been many complaints about the cuts. “It’s more of people adjusting their routines from this evening to that evening,” she said. The decision to close the Hyattsville location early on Thursdays was made based on PGCMLS’s observation that those days received less traffic than on Mondays and Tuesdays, the branch’s busiest days, said Warren. The budget cuts have also mandated furlough days for salaried employees and continued the hiring freeze. Other cost-saving measures include a scale-back in fund-

“We are managing to get books on the shelves and still provide the same amount of quality.” — Yvonne Harris general manager, Hyattsville branch

ing for books and other materials, as well as in the budget for equipment maintenance and repair. “We are managing to get books on the shelves and still provide the same amount of quality,” said Yvonne Harris, general manager of the Hyattsville branch. “Customers understand [that] everyone is being affected in the county, not just in Hyattsville.”

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Hyattsville residents caught doing good by Paula Minaert If you look around Hyattsville, you often run into people who are doing good things. They are involved ─ either in their jobs or as volunteers ─ in projects or causes that help others. The Life & Times talked to three of these people. Their stories are below, but there are many more out there. The sign on David Levy’s house reads: “The best parent is both parents.” It’s the motto of the Children’s Rights Council, a national organization he cofounded and spent the last 25 years running. Its focus is facilitating joint custody of children whose parents are separating or divorcing. “A disproportionate number of kids with problems with drugs, gangs, teen pregnancy, come from that population [children with one parent involved]. That changes if you have two parents involved.” What motivated Levy to do this? “I had a custody battle many years ago, when I divorced,” he said. “Things worked out all right, but it sensitized me to what goes on in these cases.” He was listed as one of the 25 most inﬂuential people in our children’s lives by Children’s Health magazine in October. Denise Burns volunteers for Dreams for Kids (dreamsforkids. com), a group that works with young people living with disabilities or poverty. It runs leadership programs and adaptive sports programs, among other things, to bring them out of isolation and working with their peers. Its Washington, D.C. site has recently opened and, Burns said, is looking for volunteers. “I had empty-nest syndrome and needed a place to put my energy,” said Burns, the mother of three grown sons. “I heard about this organization and offered to help. Most people aren’t interested in the less sexy work of spreadsheets, informa-

tion management, and infrastructure, but my background includes corporate administration. They were thrilled. Levy “I believe everyone has a skill to share. We are here to use our skills to help the world raise families and build community. It's a responsibility that comes with being human.” Patricia Mullahy Fugere is executive director of the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, which provides direct legal assistance to this oftenunderserved population. Its staff and volunteer attorneys go out to shelters and dining programs in Washington to offer their services. The clinic also advocates for the homeless on issues such as disability rights, mental health issues, and affordable housing. It was included as one of the best small charities in the greater Washington area Burns by the Catalogue for Philanthropy. Fugere said that she went to law school because she wanted to work in affordable housing, and helped set up the clinic shortly afterwards. She has seen the number of homeless grow over the years. “There’s a count done of the homeless in D.C. on one night every year,” Fugere said. “In January 2009, the ﬁgure was nearly 6,300 people. And the number of homeless families increased 20 percent from early 2008 to early 2009.” “A lot of what I do is rooted in my faith,” she explained. “I grew up in a home where my family valued using our gifts to give back to the community.”

Legend

Page 5

LORE

and

Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

Spend the holidays with Christian Heurich, an early Hyattsville landowner by Kimberly Schmidt As astute readers of this paper know, the dog run in Heurich Park was dedicated on Nov. 7. Located at the corner of Ager Road and Nicholson Street, it is one of the few free dog runs in Prince George’s County. Since L&L has recently overheard more than one new-toHyattsville-homeowner wonder about the odd name of the park, here, in brief, is the man behind the name. Christian Heurich (pronounced hi-rick) arrived in the United States on the heels of the Civil War at the age of 23 with $200 in his pocket and burning ambition in his heart. He had worked as a brewer in Germany, and after living in New York and Ohio settled in Washington, D.C., where he assessed the need for good brew. Heurich labels included “Senate Ale” and “Old Georgetown.” Apparently, his wealth flowed faster than liquid gold coming out of the tap: At one point he was the largest private landowner in the Washington D.C. region, second only to the U.S. Government in his holdings. The Heurich family has long been involved in local philanthropy and donated the land to the Kennedy Center, previously the location of one of its breweries. Heurich died in 1945 at 102, the nation’s oldest and perhaps richest brewer. The secret to his longevity? “Practice moderation and drink Heurich’s beer.” Like many wealthy Washingtonians, Heurich liked to get away from the summer heat. In 1883 he purchased a second home, Bellevue Farm, on land that is now the Mall at Prince George's. There he farmed 376 acres, raised prizewinning livestock and operated a dairy. When his first wife died, he had a large family mausoleum built on the Bellevue Farm property. To make way for construction of the mall, the mausoleum was relocated to Rock Creek Cemetery. Some in Hyattsville may remember that the Bellevue Farm house was destroyed in a fire in 1954. Heurich’s Gilded Age family home, the Heurich House (built 1892-94), is the most intact late-Victorian mansion in Washington, D.C. Also known as the Brewmaster’s Castle, it's now a museum open to the public. Christmas decorations are high Victorian with layers and layers of Anniversary Specials

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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Through December 27

take your picture in a horse-drawn sleigh – all hand-sculpted by 40 international artisans. Adult tickets start at $19.99; discounts for children and seniors. 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor. 877.352.3629. www.ChristmasOnThePotomac.com

Check out the Got Art? exhibit, which displays artwork, jewelry, pottery, and other unique crafts for sale. Free. Tuesday to Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. Design Studio Art Gallery, 5702 Baltimore Ave. 301.779.4907.

December 15

Through January 3

If your house is all decked out for the holidays, be sure to turn on your Christmas lights for Light Up the Sky. Judges will be viewing homes throughout the city from 7 to 9 p.m. and choosing three winners from each of Hyattsville's five wards. Winners will be announced next month at a city council meeting.

At Watkins Park's 23rd Annual Winter Festival of Lights, over a million lights form a drive-through Christmas display. The reservation-only weekend hayrides, $5 per person, include a trip through the lights and a stop to the nature center for fireside refreshments and live animal displays. Call 301.218.6770 to reserve a spot. Drive-through admission, $5 per car ($10 for season pass); you can also donate canned goods at the gate. 5 to 9:30 p.m. Watkins Regional Park. 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro. 301.699.2456.

December 18 The College Park Arts Exchange Book Club will discuss Anna Sam's Checkout: A Life on the Tills, which details her experience as a cashier in a French grocery store. Free. 7:30 to 9 p.m. Old Parish House. 4711 Knox Road, College Park. 301.927.3013. Please RSVP to info@cpae.org

Through January 10 No blades required for this ice show. Part of Gaylord National Resort’s "Christmas on the Potomac" program, ICE! is an interactive walk-through attraction made of 5,000 blocks of ice. Walk across a bridge, slide down a two-story slide, watch dancing penguins,

PHOTO COURTESY OF GAYLORD NATIONAL RESORT An ice slide is just one of the many attractions at ICE! at Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor.

December 19

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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR

CALENDAR

continued from page 6

December 19 to 26 The National Capital Trackers return for the seventh annual Holiday Trains and Planes show, a display of miniature villages, trains and tunnels. Free with museum admission: $4 adults, $3 seniors, $2 ages 18 and under. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Dec. 25. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.

December 20 Bring your kids to Arts DropIn, where they will create their own wrapping paper using painting and printing techniques. Free. 2 to 4 p.m. Old Parish House. 4711 Knox Road, College Park. 301.927.3013.

December 27 Spend an evening with Riverdale's first family at The Calverts by Candlelight. There will be live music, refreshments, and activi-

January 9

ties for children. Adults, $5; under 12, free. 6 p.m. Riversdale House Museum. 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420.

Dress up in your black-tie best for the Twelfth Night Ball. Celebrate the end of the holiday season at this regency-style ball. $25 a person, register by Jan. 4. 7:30 p.m. Riversdale House Museum. 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420.

December 28 On an aircraft, ribs are what hold up the wings. Learn about the work and skill that went into early flying machines at Wilburâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Workshop, where a rib-making demonstration is capped off by one lucky person winning the part to take home. Free with museum admission: $4 adults, $3 seniors, $2 ages 18 and under. 3 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum. 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.

January 1 Come and see the In Plane View exhibit at the College Park Aviation Museum. The exhibit features large photographs taken by Carolyn Russo of the some of the most iconic aircraft from the National Air and Space Museum. Free with museum admission: $4 adults, $3 seniors, $2 ages 18 and under. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from January 1 to June

January 12 Hyattsville Elementary School PTA invites the public to attend its monthly general meeting. Join us to learn how you can get involved and help support this neighborhood school. In the school library, 5311 43rd Avenue. 301.312.9170.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF HYATTSVILLE One of the 2008 Light Up the Sky winners in Ward 4. 11. 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.

January 8 For many, Christmas doesn't end until Twelfth Night, more commonly known as Epiphany.

Concordia Lutheran School's primary grades re-enact the three kings' trip to see the Christ Child in an Epiphany Pageant titled "The Journey of the Camels." Free admission with canned good. 7 p.m. Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3799 East West Highway. 301.927.0266.

Community Calendar is compiled by Allison Lyons and Susie Currie. It's a select listing of events happening in and around Hyattsville from the 15th of the issue month to the 15th of the following month. To submit an item for consideration, please e-mail susie@ hyattsvillelife.com or mail to P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for January submissions is December 20.

Page 8

Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

MissFloribunda Dear Miss Floribunda, As the solstice draws near, I have a question that is more related to ecology than gardening per se. What do you know about rumors that some homeowners in Hyattsville have installed solar panels on their roofs? Is it to save on electric power, heating oil, or both? Do you know how it works or how much it costs? If the cost isn't prohibitive and if it's good for the environment, I'm anxious to find out more from those who have done it. Seeking Solar on Kennedy Street Dear Seeking Solar, I know of at least three of our neighbors who can verify the “rumors” by sharing their own experiences. Two of them, Icarus Therman and Ray Beausoleil, granted me interviews. Icarus just had 16 Sunpower polar photovoltaic panels placed on his south-facing rear roof. These panels convert sunlight into electricity and should provide half of the electricity for his household over the next 25 years. A control panel that indicates how much electricity is generated will tell him his carbon offset – how much carbon dioxide he kept out of the environment. He will also be able to sell renewable energy credits to Pepco for up to $1,200 next year, an amount that will decline each year thereafter. Concerning cost of installment,

With tax credits, solar panels make sense economically as well as environmentally for some local residents. Icarus cautions that were it not for the fact that our federal, state and county governments subsidize the price, the system would not be economically feasible for him. His own system cost $25,000, but he will receive $7,500 from the federal government, $3,000 from the state, and $5,000 from the county. Had he not had a new heating system installed within the last year, he would have chosen a solar thermal system that can heat your hot water and is more costeffective. Another neighbor, Ray Beausoleil, has also mounted photovoltaic panes on his roof, and calls them “silicon sunflowers.” He would like to see many more ecologically enlightened homeowners install them, and suggests that they could call themselves “Helios’ Angels” because of the good they do the world by reducing global warming. He informs me that if people install enough panels, and keep their electric consumption

low enough, there are times during sunny daylight hours you can actually produce more electricity than your home is using. When that happens, your electric meter runs backwards, so in effect Pepco buys back that extra energy from you at the same price that they charge you when you use their power. One caveat from Ray: Solar panels are “fair-weather friends.” Output drops off by 90% on rainy days and stops at night. However, the peak hours of the panels’ output coincide with the peak demands for electricity. To get optimum sun power, choose a south-facing, unshaded roof. While Ray advises against choosing a roof where trees hang over, he would condemn the ecological folly of cutting down the trees. Should you wish to get in touch with Ray or Icarus to ask more questions and find out about suppliers, just email us at floribundav@gmail.com. To meet them, come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society at 4101 Gallatin St. at 10 a.m. on Dec. 19.

Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

Page 9

TO HELP YOU NOURISH A TRANQUIL LIFE

COMMENTARY AND OPINION ON HISTORY & POLITICS

Hugh’sNews Climate of opinion by Hugh Turley The Associated Press reported that a survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press found that 63 percent of those polled said news stories are often inaccurate. This statement calls into question our ability to know things. News stories are an important source of knowledge. Knowledge is also acquired by experience, reasoning, and memory. But the news media play a large part in what we know. Washington Post publisher Philip Graham described journalism as “the first rough draft of history.” For example, Americans “know” that suicidal terrorists killed thousands of people on Sept. 11, 2001, because it was reported immediately on television and radio and has been repeated in newspapers, books and other media for years. This account is taught in our schools and the news media are the origin of this knowledge. But if two-thirds of Americans believe news stories are often inaccurate, how accurate is our knowledge? Perhaps there is an explanation for the results of the Pew Research survey. People may feel confident to say they doubt the validity of news stories because it is fashionable to do so. In War and Peace Leo Tolstoy described a man as “a diligent Petersburg newsmonger – one of those men who choose their opinions like their clothes according to the fashion, but who for that very reason appear to be the warmest partisans.” Might he not have been describing

most of us today? Man has a natural desire to belong to a group and to be accepted by it. Columnist Joseph Sobran put it this way: “In public controversies, most people are chiefly concerned to play it safe. Before they take any position, they ask themselves not ‘Is it true?’ but ‘What will happen to me if I say this?’” Fifty years ago segregation was popular — at least with many white people — but now it is unacceptable, at least in the United States if not in some allied countries. The end of segregation and Jim Crow laws are celebrated as an achievement. In retrospect, our ancestors appear small-minded. When the climate of opinion is influenced by messages that some people are less than human, that rather than being respected as fellow members of the human race, they are to be despised and feared, segregation, or even killing those people, becomes acceptable. A friend recalls that in the small, segregated Southern town in which he grew up, the local newspaper never missed a chance to cast black people in a bad light. Such a thing would be totally unacceptable today. Yet, it seems, our sense of belonging to our group (or maybe our foreign policy) requires that there be some other group that must be feared and despised and vilified. What is taboo on the domestic front still seems acceptable on the “national security” front. Perhaps that is why we can still safely parrot what we have “learned” from our news media while, at the same time, we are not at all sure that what they have told us is true.

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LifeNotes

A wish list by Cassie Johnson

or many of us the end of the year tends to be a time of reflection. Last year, as 2009 approached, I gave some thought to what I wanted most for myself, my family and friends. The end result was a wish list tailor-made for the people nearest my heart, a sort of roadmap to living well as we navigate our life journeys. While I was thinking about what to write for this holiday column, it occurred to me that heartfelt wishes of happiness, health and a full enjoyment of life’s great gifts are expansive by their very nature and clearly appropriate — and needed —

beyond the boundaries of family. So I share my wish list now and pray that you live well each day the sunrise is gifted to you. May we surrender all to the Higher Power and have genuine faith that all is well. May we never fail to show those most important to us how very dear they are. May we discover the lessons in life’s challenges and learn from them with grace. May we live in good health, and may happiness be no stranger in our lives. May we contribute to peace on earth by compassionate example. May we laugh at life when it dances and wears a lampshade; a

sense of humor is a treasure. May we grow in ways that constantly delight and astonish us. May we embrace the meaningful in life and not be held hostage by its trivialities. May we be of willing service to others in need. May we live life fully, accepting its potential for heartbreak and tragedy as reason enough to savor what is most sweet. May we ride the waves of change like the best of surfers, without losing focus or balance. May we reach the stars and find that they’re all we imagined they would be. May we give appreciative voice to our blessings before each day is done. May we always maintain a sense of wonder at the beauty and magnificence of this world. Happy Holidays!

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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

PARK

continued from page 1

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF HYATTSVILLE In last year's Santa with a Badge program, 50 area children partnered with police officers for a shopping trip to The Mall at Prince George's.

SANTA

continued from page 1 of them with a $100 mall gift card. After a two-hour shopping spree, they are treated to lunch at Outback Steakhouse with the officers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This program is wonderful for the officers and the children,â&#x20AC;? said Cpl. Michael Rudinski, president of MASRO and a member of the Hyattsville force. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen children who want to buy coats for members of their families using their cards. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen officers supplement the cost with money from their own pocketâ&#x20AC;? so that the child still has a little left for themselves. One year, a 9-year-old boy accompanied his wheelchair-bound brother, who had been referred to the program by Children's Hospital. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He only wanted to come along to help him get around â&#x20AC;&#x201D; he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want the money,â&#x20AC;? recalled Rudinski. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Of course, we made it possible for him to participate as well.â&#x20AC;? Throughout the year, the association collects donations from the public to fund the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Santa with a Badgeâ&#x20AC;? program. With the support of local partners including The Mall at Prince Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Kiwanis Club of Prince Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s County and Outback Steakhouse,

there are no overhead fees, and each dollar collected is donated directly to a child. The program started in 2003 with six children and was up to 50 last year. Rudinski anticipates at least 60 children will be chosen this year, but because each receives $100, the total number selected will depend upon funds donated to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Santa with a Badgeâ&#x20AC;? program. At press time, donations were still being collected so the numbers haven't been finalized. Hyattsville area kids are chosen for the program through local schools and social-service agencies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very fortunate to have the kids [participate] in this program,â&#x20AC;? said Cecilia Penate, who helps nominate Hyattsville Elementary students for the program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the economy [the way it is], itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a blessing that people bring this program to schools for the kids.â&#x20AC;? Law enforcement officers interested in volunteering with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Santa with a Badgeâ&#x20AC;? should contact Cpl. Rudinski at 301.985.1400. Donations for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Santa with a Badgeâ&#x20AC;? program can be sent to: Maryland Association of School Resource Officers, c/o Michael Rudinski, 4310 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville MD 20781.

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bought it at the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request on Oct. 23, 2009, along with the Hyatt Park property, for a total of $867,500. M-NCCPC was in the process of preparing to raze the house when Hyattsville city officials asked for an opportunity to evaluate the property and solicit community feedback on the house and grounds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have no preference if [the house] stays or goes,â&#x20AC;? said resident Carl Clinton. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It does have soul, and if it can be saved, why not? But if it involves $250,000, we need alternatives." Clintonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feelings were shared by many in the municipal center meeting room, as residents discussed whether to renovate the home for future community use or raze it for additional park space. They were joined by Eileen Nivera, planner coordinator for the M-NCPPC, and Tony Mulkey, director of the Hyattsville Department of Recreation and the Arts. City council member Tim Hunt

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyone seems supportive of the community garden, which seems like it could be done at a reasonable cost.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Matt McKnight city council member (Ward 3)

(Ward 3) questioned preserving the abandoned Victorian home when the city recently has acquired the BB&T building to serve as a community meeting space, while others cited the additional cost to maintain the house and provide security monitoring. Clinton's opinion was that before any decisions were made, the house should be assessed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We

PHOTO BY SHANI N. WARNER A group of residents interested in developing a community garden met recently at the site of the former Jack and Jill Nursery School. should not go forward on a decision," he said, "without knowing the state it is in.â&#x20AC;? Meeting attendees gathered in groups to review and discuss the fate of not only the house but the 2.25acre grounds. Suggestions included a community garden, petting farm, playground, miniature golf, Splash Pad, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s train and a picnic area. Each group was asked for feedback on the plan, and what additional changes they would like to see. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyone seems supportive of the community garden, which seems like it could be done at a reasonable cost,â&#x20AC;? said city council member Matt McKnight (Ward 3). â&#x20AC;&#x153;A garden-centered park in the city is something that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have.â&#x20AC;? With M-NCCPC's moratorium on capital projects until 2017, many in attendance were in favor of the low-cost improvements such as the garden. It could be created quickly and maintained using water that WSSC provides free of charge to the city government.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a lot of different options with the garden,â&#x20AC;? said resident Harold Stone, a professional environmental planner who initially proposed the idea. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is in a prime location across the street from the Safeway, and a lot of people would participate. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a waiting list for the garden.â&#x20AC;? He also noted that vegetable garden and flower gardens would enhance the landscape of the park. Some groups also favored development of a zero-depth water feature for children, like the one next to the fountain at University Town Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Splash pads are really trendy right now nationwide,â&#x20AC;? commented Mulkey. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had a lot of great ideas,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was great to see people come out and show emotion toward the park, and have this stewardship.â&#x20AC;? Mulkey will take the feedback from the meeting and develop options for the council and residents to consider, which will be presented at a future community meeting.

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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

TRASH

continued from page 1 a city solution for dealing with hazardous waste, other than mandating that residents cannot dispose of it in their household trash or store it on their property.” City spokesperson Abby Sandel said that the city staff is still working on the ordinance, including the issues raised by the code committee. “The standard practice is for the city to mirror the county code. We found out that even though the county lists cooking oil, for example, as hazardous waste, they still accept it,” she explained. "So that ban is going to be taken out of our ordinance. We’ve learned an awful lot researching all this, and with recycling ... it’s constantly evolving." Faye also pointed to an item in the proposed ordinance, which states that if recyclables are found to be mixed with collectible trash, and the problem continues, the city will separate the trash and impose an administrative fee on the household, which if not paid may become a lien on the property. “There are serious ramifications to this,” she said. Another section of the ordinance is titled, “Discharging waste or refuse material upon streets, public places or private property prohibited.” Included in the prohibited substances is “sawdust, shavings, paper … decaying vegetable matter, organic wastes or substances of any kind … greasy or soapy water … or other offensive matter … liable to become a nuisance.” “Note the word ‘liable,’ ” Faye said. “This could affect mulch or compost piles and require Code staff to determine what is ‘liable to become a nuisance,’ which sounds like asking them to predict the future.

Page 11 Some Hyattsville gardeners worry that this could mean their compost piles will become targets. Victoria Boucher-Hille, president of the Hyattsville Horticultural society, said, “Many of our members are concerned that this ordinance, if selectively enforced, could lead to problems with composting and fertilizing. The wording needs to be more specific and [made] plain that organic gardening practices, such as the use of soapy water against insect pests [are allowed]." However, councilman David Hiles (Ward 2) wrote in an e-mail, “We aren’t going to enforce any provisions outlawing composting and mulch … Part of the city code deals with “nuisance” composting, mulching, etc. The pertinent section has been unchanged since it was enacted on 12/1/69, based on my reading of the legislative history note for this chapter. It is not different in the draft under consideration.” Mayor Bill Gardiner also said, “It’s incorrect to imply that council is trying to impose an ordinance to ban composting. This ordinance is primarily about regulating what can go into the trash collection and how it’s put out. The city would like residents to put recyclable materials in recycling and not mix it with household waste. It’s an expense for the city and it’s bad for the environment. “The council will listen to recommendations and either agree or disagree with them.” In any case, the pilot program’s start date is set. “Even though all the details aren’t final yet,” said Sandel, “the once-weekly trash collection has been approved and will start Jan. 4.” Residents can check their street names on the city website to find out when their new collection day will be. http://www.hyattsville.org/ index.aspx?NID=411

Page 12

Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2009

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