RESTORING THE LOST ART OF ARCADE GAMES
OFFICER DOWN... IN THE DUNK TANK
IT WAS THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME
How did a code-compliance officer end up on a video-game trading card? PAGE 4
With city police officers in a dunk tank, National Night Out proves a hit in West Hyattsville. PAGE 3
Northwestern High School’s choir travels to South Africa. PAGE 12
Re-enactors prepare for epic battle by Megan J. Brockett
On August 24, Kathy Norvell will wake up and start getting ready to go back in time. Norvell, a veteran War of 1812 re-enactor, will be one of several people in costume for the 18th annual Battle of Bladensburg Encampment at the Riversdale House Museum. The event, free to the public, will run from noon until 4 p.m. and will include gunnery drills and cannon firings, a special program by the Fort McHenry head ranger and a skirmish between re-enactors dressed as American and British soldiers. The annual Riversdale encampment has grown in recent years as the region, rich in War of 1812 history, gears up for next summer’s big bicentennial celebration. (The war ended in 1815.) “[The encampment] is kind of important now because [2014] will be the 200th anniversary of the British invasion, the Battle of Bladensburg and the burning of Washington … and the whole episode at Fort McHenry with the creation of the Star Spangled Banner,” said Edward Day, director of the Riversdale House Museum. “It’s a way to get acquainted and familiarize yourself with that whole story.” And the story is an important
Hyattsville Life&Times
Vol. 10 No. 8
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
Safeway, Whole Foods race to the finish line Two grocery stores will be built 1.3 miles apart by Susie Currie
When Safeway left Hyattsville in February 2012, ending a presence it had had here since 1928, it seemed to be the end of an era.
But a new partnership has jumpstarted the long-dormant plan to build a new store at University Town Center (UTC) – just 1.3 miles from the proposed Whole Foods site in Riverdale Park.
Both chains hope to open here in early 2015, said sources familiar with each project. But Safeway may beat Whole Foods to the ribbon-cutting, in part because developers intend to
August 2013
amend the site plan rather than submit a new one. When that plan was first approved in 2006, UTC officials announced that a new 56,000-square-foot Safeway would open in 2008. But financial pressures, which have since led to foreclosures at the struggling shopping area, prevented the build. In the meantime, the existing store on Hamilton Street languished and eventually closed amid pleas from residents to renovate it. Now, the original architects of MARKETS continued on page 10
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BATTLE continued on page 9
Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
CHARLES STECK
After years in the red, Prince George’s Pool now has more people on the waiting list than on the membership roster by Rosanna Landis Weaver
Mention the Prince George’s Pool (commonly known as the PG Pool) to some locals and the superlatives fly. Tamara Embrey says, “I couldn’t love it more than I do.” “It saved my marriage,” says Rozanne Wijesinghe. “We plan
our summer around it,” says Rebecca Gitter. The pool, located on Buchanan Street in Mount Rainier, counts 113 Hyattsville families among its members. But many more have been shut out since a membership cap was imposed during the summer of 2011. The next season, the few open slots sold out in six minutes.
As of August 1, there were 820 names on the waiting list for individual or family memberships. With a current turnover rate of 7 percent, it could take 15 years to move through the list. POOL continued on page 6
Included: The August 14, 2013 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section
Page 2
Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
FromTheEditor
The perils and pluses of popularity by Rosanna Landis Weaver
One of the many pleasures of this editorial gig is the opportunity to dig into local topics and questions that are of particular interest to me. As a longtime member of the Prince George’s Pool, which is known as PG Pool, I’ve been fascinated by its evolution and recent population explosion, and this month I was able to spend time looking at that. After all, MBAs devote great effort when attempting to market products, to understand the strange alchemy of tipping points and popularity. The astronomical increase of folks interested
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 susie@hyattsvillelife.com. Executive Editor Susie Currie susie@hyattsvillelife.com 301.633.9209 Managing Editor Rosanna Landis Weaver rosanna@hyattsvillelife.com 301.277.5939 Editorial Intern Scarlett Salem Production Ashley Perks Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234 Writers & Contributors Victoria Hille, Molly Parrish, Valerie Russell, Fred Seitz, Hugh Turley Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President Susie Currie - Secretary Peggy Dee, Karen J. Riley, Valerie Russell Rosanna Landis Weaver - 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.
in joining the PG pool, from less than 200 families a decade ago to over 1,400 now (current membership combined with waiting list) intrigues me. Like some of the old-time members I interviewed, I have fond memories of the days when everyone knew your name, and parking was never a problem. Yet at the same time I’m delighted by the people I’ve met more recently, the increased racial diversity, and the amazing amenities the new members and their dues have brought us. (There was NO shade by the toddler pool when my children were toddlers.) While crowding causes some day-to-day inconveniences, of more concern to me is whether the larger membership can maintain the welcoming and accepting culture I’ve always found there. The members of the cooperative pool, knew it fondly as “the Cool Pool.” The increased membership and associated logistics has now inspired some to call it “the Rule Pool.” But my experience has been that the spirit remains largely unchanged, through the good efforts of many people with generally shared ideals of what community should be. When spats flare on the list serve, members step in to restore the focus to larger values. For example, in a recent discussion of the lap lane
CHARLES STECK Local band Doublethink plays at Poolapalooza, an all-day music event held at PG Pool in June.
etiquette one member chimed in, “Civil discourse should take precedence at the Cool Pool, lest we lose our right to that title.” The struggle to maintain warmth in a time of growth is instructive for citizens of Hyattsville who may be on a similar trajectory of being “discovered” and are beginning to experience the changes that brings. Those of us that have been here for a while love the new restaurants and stores but sometimes hate the traffic. But the logistics are again less critical than what size does to
spirit. There’s a balance: community requires a certain level of knowing and being known which may be impossible after a certain population is exceeded. Hyattsville as a town has already exceeded that number, but still allows its residents to experience “small town” moments in neighborhoods, schools and even on listservs. How do we preserve what drew us here in the first place? How does Hyattsville remain fun and funky? In urban neighborhoods, gentrifiers may alter the diversity
that attracted them to a neighborhood by their very presence. Given our housing stock, among other things, that’s unlikely to happen here. The challenge of growth is accommodating more young single condo buyers, retirees and all of us in between while maintaining a feeling of community. As the city grows, we will need to graciously accept the bad with the good, and continue to try to preserve the best. In my opinion, PG Pool is a pretty good guide for that.
of heartbreaking letters (many from senior citizens) pleading that the closed section be reopened due to hardships experienced by having to travel so far out of the way to access U.S. Route 1. Many of the letters included checks of various denominations in support of reopening the road to help cover costs incurred by the organization which lobbied long and hard to reopen the road. Over 90 percent of Hyattsville residents were in favor of it and ironically there were some University Park residents who also wanted the road reopened along with residents of College Park. The bottom line in the truncation of Queens Chapel Road was politics. Property values were projected to increase with the road closure due to less traf-
fic. University Park politicians and residents saw dollar signs by closing the road to traffic and staged a major coup d’état. In the end, the politicians won and the overwhelming majority of area residents in support of reopening Queens Chapel Road lost. It didn’t matter how many hundreds of signatures were on the petitions, nor how many gut-wrenching letters and checks were received by area residents, or how many local residents spoke at public hearings in support of reopening Queens Chapel Road. It wasn’t a fair fight and as a result the people lost to power-hungry and greedy politicians.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR I read with interest Hugh Turley’s column “After 25 years, is it time to reopen Queens Chapel?” [ July 2013]. Over 25 years ago, I formed Citizens to Reopen Queens Chapel Road, an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. John Hammette of University Park, John T. O’Leary of College Park and Nelson Minnich of Hyattsville were officers of the corporation and I served as secretarytreasurer. We had many brainstorming meetings in an effort to reopen the closed portion of Queens Chapel Road. The road was constructed as the original MD-210 from Washington to Hyattsville in 1910. MD500 was built from Hyattsville through University Park to U.S. Route 1 in the early 1930s and then assumed the course of MD-
210 in the mid-1940s. MD-500 was truncated at MD-410 when University Park took over the highway prior to the construction of the Metro Green Line through the town in the late 1980s. There was an outpouring of support from the Hyattsville community and beyond to reopen the closed portion of Queens Chapel Road. Numerous public hearings were conducted. I recall one in particular where a resident of University Park said, “You can’t reopen Queens Chapel Road — my children play in that road!” The level of arrogance demonstrated by the “road closers” was over the top. As secretary-treasurer of Citizens to Reopen Queens Chapel Road, I received hundreds
Barbara J. Runion Hyattsville
Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
Page 3
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Annual National Night Out a success by Rosanna Landis Weaver
Whatever doubts there may have been about moving National Night Out to Hamilton Street seem to have been swept away by the sounds of the Positive Vibrations Youth Steel Orchestra playing, and by the sun finally appearing on an overcast day. The mood of the 500-plus Hyattsville residents gathered for the August 6 event was jubilant. There was cotton candy and popcorn. There were fruitflavored snow cones, though the most popular flavor seemed to be the one called “Sky Blue.” There was a moon bounce and a slide and something called the Extreme Air Jumper that allowed bouncing children to perform astonishing acrobatic feats. The annual National Night Out, held in thousands of communities on the first Tuesday evening in August, is designed to strengthen police-community ties. What better way to do that than by putting the city’s chief of police in a dunk tank? Chief Douglas Holland did several sessions in the tank, despite unseasonably cool temperatures in the low 70s, and got dunked countless times. “It’s usually 105 degrees and 98 percent humidity when we do this event,” noted Community Services Director Abby Sandel. “That’s probably what he was expecting when he agreed to do this.” Holland seemed to enjoy himself, taunting ball throwers such as Councilwoman Paula Perry. After she successfully dunked him, the chief came up for air and jibed, “If you were on target like that at council meetings we’d get a lot more done.” Thirteen-year-old Daryl Page smiled broadly after he, too, downed Holland. “All the other times I saw
a dunk tank they were on TV,” he noted, “I thought, ‘Here’s my time to shine.’ It felt great.” The police also conducted a K9 unit demonstration, where the sight of a police dog “attacking” an officer in a big, puffy protective suit awed the audience. Traditionally held in Magruder Park, the festival marked its debut in West Hyattsville this year. One reason for the move was to bring new people to the event, and Sandel believes that goal was met, noting that often at town events she sees the same people. “I look around tonight and I see someone from every ward in the city.” Juan Ogando, 21, has lived in Hyattsville his whole life, but had never been to the event before. “This is great,” he said. “I wish I’d brought my niece.” It was the first National Night Out for Regina Perez as well. “I have never seen so many people here on this street,” said Perez, who lives right around the corner from the National Night Out’s home base of Queens Chapel Town Center. While she found the event to be amazing, and her niece could not take her eyes off the police horses, she had one minor complaint: “I’m looking for some food.” The formal program ended with a concert by Hyattsville’s own Samba Trovão, a Brazilian group whose samba music includes reggae rhythms. The police then led a large group in a crime-prevention walk through the neighborhood, fulfilling part of the mission of National Night Out to promote safer communities and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back against crime.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
Arcade games land man on trading card
by Woody Wilder
Most men enjoy their man caves. Joe Brewer enjoys his mancade. Brewer, a code-compliance officer for the City of Hyattsville, has a fully functioning arcade in his basement that is sure to make 10-year-olds everywhere (and their dads) jealous. The collection that started in 2008 with a roach-infested Ms. Pac Man he found on the side of the road has grown to include 20 old-school video games and pinball machines, many restored to their original condition. And now, Brewer’s hobby has landed him a spot on a trading card, part of the limited-edition Twin Galaxies Video Game Set. It’s named for the organization that has been tracking videogame world records since 1983. On August 10, Brewer and others were honored during an awards ceremony at
the Iowa Contemporary Art Museum (ICON) in Fairfield, Iowa, where the trading cards made up part of a Twin Galaxies exhibit. The cards, said Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day, showcase people who have made “important contributions to the worldwide video game industry as competitive gamers or industry celebrities.” How did a Hyattsville business -licensing inspector manage to find his way onto a video game trading card? “I was always a musician,” he said, “but I picked up one machine off the side of the road” and it snowballed from there. That was Ms. PacMan, and it had definitely seen better days. “It was completely faded and torn apart,” Brewer recalled. After six months of elbow grease – and a few bottles of roach killer – his first piece of ’80s lore was finished. Among the others that have joined it over the years is his
pride and joy: a 1981 Nintendo Donkey Kong machine that “was pretty beat when I got it.” He restored it using original parts, from the marquee down to the joystick, and now, the teal-painted machine replicates its iconic ’80s self. “It’s the epitome of a true, classic arcade machine,” said Brewer. The oldest game in his collection is a 1970s Space Invaders system, which is older than he is. The 33-year-old enjoyed playing arcade games as a boy, but never imagined owning one. “As a kid, you assume they’re $1,000 and you’ll never be able to afford one,” Brewer said. “Who would’ve thought I’d have 20 in my basement one day.” Brewer isn’t much concerned with the powers of entertainment these machines hold. His arcade isn’t overflowing with kids with change to spare; rather, it’s a retirement home for Galaga and Ms. PacMan. He opens his Mount Rainier basement to the public each spring for the Gateway Arts District’s Open Studio Tour. Otherwise, the arcade operates privately for his friends and family, wife Stephanie and sons Sam, age 5, and Lucas, 2. Occasionally he’ll hold a private party for his friends, plug in the machines (all set to free play), crack open a few beers and play the night away.
The march is on to experience the War of 1812 in Prince George’s County, MD! Special events throughout the summer! Family fun, history, exploration and the 199th Anniversary of the Battle of Bladensburg! Join us on August 24, 2013 at Riversdale House Museum (4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park, MD) for the 18th Annual Encampment - cannons, horses, food, family programs, music, and much more!
PrinceGeorges1812.org 301-877-0777
JOE BREWER Hyattsville code-compliance officer Joe Brewer has turned his basement into a retirement home for old arcade games and pinball machines, which he refurbishes. His hobby earned him a spot on a limitededition Twin Galaxies Video Game Trading Card (left).
While Brewer does enjoy this occasional reliving of his childhood, he admits that he’s more into refurbishing and restoring the games than playing them. He sees it as an art form, which makes his art-gallery debut this month especially meaningful. “It’s awesome,” he said. “I’ve always been an artist in some shape or form, so I’m glad to see the public appreciate the art associated with the machines.”
Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
Page 5
NEWS BRIEFS HL&T WINS TOP NATIONAL AWARD For the third year in a row, the Hyattsville Life & Times has captured a National Newspaper Association award in the annual Better Newspaper Contest. First place for Best Serious Column goes to Hugh Turley’s “A Resident Evil,” a piece that came out in July 2012 shortly after the Jerry Sandusky verdict. Turley writes of the unsettling experience of living next door to a man who had won acclaim in the 1970s as a founder of D.C.’s punk scene, but turned out to have criminal tendencies that were investigated only after a 10-year-old boy went missing. Contest judges said: “Turley implores us to be attentive to the signs of trouble around us and holds us accountable – as he did himself – for the evil that we, in our discomfort, choose all too often not to heed. It is an insistent wake‐up call that we ignore at our own peril.” In case you missed it, please take a look: www.bit.ly/11FnP14.
BOOK CLUB REVIVED The Bridging Cultural Gaps book club, started by longtime resident Robert Croslin about 15 years ago, ran for about seven years. Croslin, now a Ward 2 representative on the Hyattsville City Council, is getting it started again with a meeting on Wednesday, August 14 at 7 p.m. in the municipal building, 4310 Gallatin Street. Croslin said that the club’s purpose is “to talk about and, hopefully, dismantle all man-made barriers that divide communities.” The first book: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander.
MAYOR AVOIDS CENSURE Mayor Marc Tartaro avoided being censured by the city council on August 5. At its previous meeting, on July 15, Ward 3 councilmembers Tim Hunt and Patrick Paschall made the unprecedented motion that alleged the mayor “violated Council Meeting Policies and Procedures” in two ways. First, the motion says, he added motions to the June 13 agenda based on budget proposals that Hunt and Candace Hollingsworth (Ward 1) had made months ago, when the budget was still a working document, listing them as sponsors “ without their knowledge or approval.” Second, it continues, he failed to disclose to council members “within the specified time frame” that he had met with developers (from the Safeway project on our cover, it turns out). In the discussion that followed, Tartaro made a public apology, saying, “My mistake was having them put in the form of a motion so that council could move it if they so chose. It was meant to give the framework of that particular meeting which was about amendments to the proposed budget.” He defended the meetings by saying that the developers had asked him not to share the “proprietary and highly confidential information” at that stage. He added that he “believed he was acting in good faith” because the businessmen were presenting a plan and not entering into negotiations with the city. On August 5, Hunt said that he had decided to take the mayor at his word. He and all the other councilmembers voted to table the motion indefinitely, with Tartaro the sole vote against it. “I thought it should have been an up-ordown vote,” he said later.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
pool
continued from page 1
How is that possible, when as recently as 2004 the pool’s financial situation cast doubts on its very survival? The maintenance, management and insurance expenses associated with neighborhood pools has forced others in the area to close, including the University Hills pool. PG Pool members have several explanations for the population explosion: an influx of young families to surrounding neighborhoods; rising fees for locals to swim at D.C. hotels; the increasing appeal for staycations as the economy soured. Wijesinghe, who served on the board from 2000 to 2006, notes that the pool has plenty going on on its grounds (sandboxes, play equipment, volleyball, ping pong, foosball) for children who are not natural fish. “I have two very different kids,” notes Wijesinghe. “One of whom hasn’t set foot in the pool all year, but goes every day.” The phrase that comes up again and again in a discussion of what distinguishes the pool is the charles steck sense of community found there. “When I came to Maryland in This season PG Pool’s swim team, the Killer Whales, won four of their 2007, I didn’t know a single soul,” five meets, and won the division championship. said Embrey. When she came to the pool, “I immediately felt at people stopped coming when integrated public pools. The charhome and my life changed.” their kids grew up.” ter created a structure of lifetime The family-like atmosphere is Joe and Pam Bellino, whose membership, with a requirement something that older members seven children all participated on that to become a member one had can recall from the pool’s early swim team over the 30 years they to have a sponsor and be vouched years. Irena De Carlantonio, who were members, urged members of for by current members. joined in the late 1960s, fondly their Hyattsville babysitting co-op But the sponsorship structure beremembers the crab feasts mem- to join and then families affiliated gan to create a sense of exclusion, bers shared. Her reflection on the with Christian Family Montessori especially since D.C. residents pool’s history is a reflection on her School, as well as introducing the were prohibited from joining. The own: “There was a time I could do co-operative work structure that Bellinos recall that the ban was, for 22 laps,” she notes. “Now when I helped save the pool money and part of the old-guard membership, go to the pool I sit in the shade.” increased member participation. explicitly intended to keep the Peggy Dee, another longtime The Bellinos also worked to membership largely white. member, recalls the time when foster ethnic and cultural diver- Eventually a new charter, “there were so many families sity there. Prince George’s Pool changed in part under pressure from St. Jerome’s that we called opened in 1956, and like many from the NAACP, removed the the place where they sat ‘Catho- of that era was founded, at least sponsorship requirement and the lic Row.’” But, she adds, “a lot of in part, as a private alternative to ban on members outside Prince
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George’s County, and allowed in members from D.C. This made increasing membership easier at a time when it was sorely needed, as people from Brookland began to join immediately. “Economics has a way sometimes of changing policy,” says State Delegate Doyle Niemann (D-47), who served on the pool board from 1983 to 1997. “By the time I joined in 1980, the focus was on what we can do to keep it open. There were not enough members to support the pool ” The physical structure of the pool was becoming increasingly run down. The gutters were collapsing and the pool was leaking large amounts of water. To pay for some repairs, Niemann and other board members secured a loan and sold an unused lot next to the pool to M-NCPPC. Through the late 1990s, the financial health of pool was somewhat “touch and go” according to Niemann and others. In 1997 the pool operated at a loss, in 1998 the pool made money, in 1999 the pool operated at a loss, and then for a few years it operated in the black. At around that time the board had paid off its 1980s loan, and recognized the need for some major work. The plan was for work to be completed off-season, before the pool opened in 2004, but construction delays prevented the pool from opening until July 19. That year there were only 134 members, and even that number largely because families were required to maintain membership to be part of swim team. The swim team practiced at Trinity and other locations, and held many “land practices.” Nearly half of the members asked for a partial refund when the season was over. The pool stayed open until the end of September, holding its first annual “Oktoberfest” and the following year the pool upped its communication and outreach, with advertisements, open houses, “Countdown to Splashdown,” and co-op credit for referring members. Board member Ken Carter introduced the practice of having live bands
play regularly, which drew in additional guests and spread the word of mouth. Current board member David McCandlish notes that that year’s upgrades to the facilities were also a draw. Wijesinghe said that in the following years, there were approximately 160 members, then 200, then 300 – and then the growth became exponential. In June 2011, at their first meeting of the year, the members called for a cap. So the number was frozen at the then-current level: 675 memberships, representing approximately 2,400 people. The new memberships allowed for improvements, including expanded hours, a slide, and more grills on the property. Yet longtime members are wistful about the time when it seemed like all the members were from Hyattsville and Mount Rainier. “I liked it better when we were in the red,” jokes Hyattsville’s Judy Kendall. “My favorite thing was green space with just a few picnic tables, and I just saw the green space getting eaten up.” Whatever the factors behind the exponential growth, dealing with it became something of a challenge. The cap created a sense of scarcity. Now, according to Membership Director Tanya Renne, instead of approximately 30 percent turnover each year, turnover is down to seven percent. Renne is hopeful that the waiting list will decrease, in part as swimmers discover other nearby pools, including the Adelphi Pool on Riggs Road, less than five miles from Hyattsville. Dawn Nichols, a Hyattsville resident since 2006, joined Adelphi Pool in 2008 for the shady toddler pool and the friendly faces she found there. As her children have grown, she’s come to appreciate “the vintage metal slide that has become a rite of passage when young swimmers pass their swimming test.” The Adelphi pool is in a different phase in its demographic trajectory, and is actively seeking members. The number of Hyattsville memberships alone has climbed to 50 at last count.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
Page 7
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
August 15
as personal and financial safety and how to recognize health problems. There will also be safety whistle and rubber jar-opener giveaways. Free. 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Prince George’s Plaza Community Center, 6600 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville. 301.864.1611.
Parents, ready for school to start? Cool off with Popsicles with the Principal at Hyattsville Elementary School. You can also meet your child’s teacher, sign up for before- and after-care, and take part in the Uniform Sale. Free. 5 to 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria at 5311 43rd Avenue. 301.209.5800.
August 30 through September 2
August 22
Watch the film October Sky under the evening sky, part of the College Park Aviation Museum Summer Outdoor Series. You can also enjoy hands-on activities inside the museum and popcorn and snowcones will also be served throughout the evening. Free with regular museum admission of $4 for adults ($2 for children). 7 to 11 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.
August 24
Bring the family and spend the afternoon building and decorating your very own kite. $8 workshop fee covers museum admission and one kite kit. All
Hyattsville CDC Face-painting was a big hit at last year’s Downtown Hyattsville Arts Festival.
ages welcome. 1 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.
formation. Free. Noon to 4 p.m. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Road.
The 18th annual Battle of Bladensburg Encampment comes to Riversdale House Museum. See our cover story for more in-
The Prince George’s County Police Department offers a Senior Safety Course for ages 60 and up. The course will cover such topics
August 27
Held every year since 1955, the Greenbelt Labor Day Festival is still going strong with four days of fun, including a carnival, sports events, art and photo shows, the Miss Greenbelt Pageant, and, of course, Monday’s Labor Day Parade, which begins at 10 a.m. For a full schedule and more details, visit www.greenbeltlaborday.com.
August 31 through September 2 Another local tradition this holiday weekend is the National Capital Trackers’ exhibit of miniature trains, villages, tunnels and depots, running during regular museum hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Free with
museum admission of $4 (discounts for children and seniors). College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.
September 7
At DC GlassWorks’ Fall Open House, enjoy free glassblowing demonstrations and, for a fee, try your hand at making a glass paperweight. 4 to 8 p.m. DC GlassWorks, 5346 46th Avenue. Edmonston. 301.927.8271. www.dcglassworks.com.
September 14
The Friends of the Hyattsville Branch holds its Annual Used Book Sale Extravaganza, with books priced to sell. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. Donations welcome; call 301.312.9170. The 6th Annual Downtown Hyattsville Arts Festival returns to the intersection of Route 1 and Jefferson Street, with offerings from local artists and restaurants. Free. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.hyattsvillearts.com or call 301.683.8267. calendar continued on page 8
presents
Senior Fitness Fridays Ageless Grace Exercise Class
Ageless Grace is a fitness and wellness program that consists of 21 simple exercises designed to improve healthy longevity. The exercises are designed to be performed in a seated chair and almost anyone can do them, regardless of most physical conditions.
Fall Semester starts September 6! Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Sept. 6 through November 22, 2013 NEW LOCATION! Magruder Park Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street
Only $2 per session! For more information or to register, please call Emily Stowers, Senior Services Coordinator at 301/985-5058 or estowers@hyattsville.org
Summer
Jam 2013 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
September 13 - Just Us PLUS the Police Department’s Open House - tour the station!
Hyattsville Reporter Page HR1
Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
the
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
October 4 to 6: Fall yard sale weekend; Sept. 3 open registration Calling all bargain hunters! Our annual City-wide Yard Sale is now an entire weekend. The 3-day event begins on Friday, October 4 and continuing on Saturday, October 5 and concluding on Sunday, October 6. Sellers can participate for as much time as they like - one day, two days, or all three! Operate your sale during any daylight hours. Peak traffic is usually Saturday morning between 9 AM and noon. There is no charge to participate. Registration is voluntary. Residents who do register will have their addresses listed, which will be published to the City’s website and listed on craigslist under their Yard Sale section. Registration will open for the Fall Yard Sale weekend on Tuesday, September 3rd. To register, email India at ikea@hyattsville.org or call 301/985-5000. Our Spring 2014 Yard Sale weekend will take place May 4, 5, and 6, 2014. Registration will open in late March.
Fall & winter 2013 Planner
Summer has sailed right by and school is back in session later this month! Mark your calendar now for the rest of 2013. September 9/6 - Sunset Movie Series at Heurich Park 9/6 – Fall Semester, Ageless Grace Senior Exercise class starts 9/10 – Fall Semester, Parent & Child Program starts 9/13 - Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam – last of the 2013 season! – and Police Department Open House 9/20 - Sunset Movie Series at Heurich Park 9/25 – AGES presents: Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS October 10/4 - Sunset Movie Series at Heurich Park 10/4 – 10/6 – Fall Yard Sale Weekend 10/6 - Hyattsville Cyclocross 10/9 - International Walk to School Day 10/19 - Senior Swing! 10/26 - SpookyFest December 12/6 - Magruder Park Tree Lighting 12/7 - Breakfast with Santa 12/7 - Lunch with Santa 12/18 - Claus Applause Awards Judging 12/19 - Senior Holiday Celebration 12/26 – 12/27 – Winter Break Camp Look for details in future editions of the Hyattsville Reporter, or online at www.hyattsville.org.
Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
No. 268 • August 14, 2013
There will be no Yard Waste collection the week of Monday, September 2nd due to the Labor Day holiday. The next Yard Waste collection takes place on Monday, September 9th. Questions? Call the Department of Public Works at 301/985-5032.
SUNSET MOVIE SERIES COMES TO HEURICH PARK
The City will show family-friendly flicks at Heurich Park on the following Friday nights: September 6, September 20, and October 4. September 6 movie starts at 7:30 PM; September 20 and October 4 begin at 7:00 PM. Free and open to the public. Bring your own blanket or lawn chair. Movie titles coming soon!
AGELESS GRACE SENIOR EXERCISE CLASSES BEGIN SEPTEMBER 6
The fall semester of our Ageless Grace Senior Exercise class begins Friday, September 6. It runs through Friday, November 22. This low-impact, seated exercise class is offered at 10:00 AM on Fridays at the Magruder Park Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street. $2 per class. Ageless Grace is a proven technique to develop both body and mind, with an emphasis on healthy longevity. Intrigued? Learn more here: www.agelessgrace.com. Ready to register? Call Emily Stowers, our Senior Services Coordinator, at 301/985-5058.
at 7 AM and 9 PM; or Saturdays and Sundays at 12 NOON. We will broadcast the most recent Council Meeting. Please note that the Council is currently on summer recess. Meetings resume September 16, 2013. There will be no meetings rebroadcast in late August/ early September as a result. The City’s channel is 71 on Comcast and 12 on Verizon. Beginning in September, residents will be able to watch Council Meetings online, too. Look for the link at www.hyattsville.org/meetings. Questions? Comments? Please talk to Jonathan Alexander, the City’s cable coordinator, at jalexander@hyattsville.org or 301/985-5028.
Fourth Annual Hyattsville Community Multicultural Health and Wellness Fair
The First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville will host their fourth annual Multicultural Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, September 21, 2013 from 10 AM to 4 PM. The event will take place on the church’s campus, 6201 Belcrest Road. There is no charge to attend! More than 40 providers will be on hand to help residents to make better health choices. This year’s fair will emphasize the role of technology. Questions? Call 301/927-6133 or email Dorrett Carroll, carrolldm09@comcast.net or Dr. Mary Carter-Williams carterwilli@theisgrp.com. The church’s website is www.fumchy.org.
COUNCIL RECESS & HCTV NEWS
The City’s cable station is now rebroadcasting City Council Meetings at a variety of times. Tune in on Monday at 10 AM; Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 AM, 3 PM, and 10 PM; Wednesdays and Fridays
ing the sole providers for their grandchildren. Please join us as we celebrate this group and learn from their experiences as both caregiver and seniors experiencing a variety of challenges in the face of an epidemic in their country. The event takes place from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM on Wednesday, September 25th at the City Municipal Building, First Floor MultiPurpose Room. Please RSVP to Emily Stowers, Senior Services Coordinator, at 301/985-5058 or estowers@hyattsville.org.
ELECTRONICS RECYCLING DATE
The City’s next Electronics Recycling event will take place on Saturday, October 5 from 9 AM to 12 NOON at the Public Works Yard, 4633 Arundel Place. City residents may bring in up to eight items, such as computers and components, televisions, VCRs and DVD players, printers, cell phones, etc. There is no charge for the program, but we may request proof of residency. Questions? Please call 301/985-5032.
MARY PRANGLEY CLEAN-UP DAY
Wednesday, August 28
AGES Senior Workshop: Arthritis Foundation, 10 AM
Monday, September 2
On Wednesday, September 25th, the Department of Community Services will host a meet and greet with the Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS, a South African organization compromised of mostly grandmothers who, in responding to the AIDS epidemic in their country, have come together to facilitate the resources needed for grandparents as they find themselves in their later years becom-
Sunset Movie Series, 7:30 PM, Heurich Park
Wednesday, September 11
Environmental Committee Meeting, 7:30 PM
Friday, September 13
Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam Summer Jam featuring Just-Us & Police Department Open House, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
September 15 - October 15 Hispanic Heritage Month
Monday, September 16 City Council Meeting, 8 PM
Wednesday, September 25
UPDATES FROM WSSC – IS WORK PLANNED FOR YOUR STREET?
WELCOMING GRANDMOTHERS AGAINST POVERTY AND AIDS
Ageless Grace Fall Semester begins
A.G.E.S. WELCOMES THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION
Join us for non-native invasive removals in Magruder Woods Removals take place on the third Saturday of every month, year-round, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Work is led by Dr. Marc Imlay, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning. Upcoming dates include Saturday, September 21st and Saturday, October 19th. Please dress for the elements – long-sleeves, long plants and sturdy boots or shoes. Questions? Contact Colleen Aistis, caistis@hyattsville.org or 301/985-5057. Participation helps to satisfy State of Maryland Student Service Learning requirements.
The Hyattsville Farmers Market is back! Find fresh produce and more on Tuesday afternoons, 2:00 to 6:00 PM, at 3505 Hamilton Street (behind the former BB&T Bank building). Free parking is available on site.
Friday, September 6
Tuesday, September 17
VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR MAGRUDER WOOD RESTORATION
HYATTSVILLE FARMERS MARKET CONTINUES INTO FALL
Board of Elections Meeting, 4 - 5 PM
Residents served the by the Department of Public Works’ solid waste division will receive a special trash pick-up on Saturday, October 12. The collection is designed for bulky trash, but we will accept regular household trash, too. Please have all items curbside no later than 9 AM. City crews will make one sweep of the City.
The Arthritis Foundation will return for the next A.G.E.S. (Aging Gracefully Educational Series) workshop on Wednesday, August 28 at 10 AM at the City Municipal Building, in the First Floor MultiPurpose Room. Questions? Contact Emily Stowers at 301/985-5058 or email her at estowers@hyattsville.org to learn more or RSVP.
The Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam series comes to a close on Friday, September 13th with the musical stylings of Just-Us, plus the Police Department Open House. The event starts at 6:30 PM and lasts through 8:30 PM. Special thanks goes to Gregory Kithcart of Outback Steakhouse Hyattsville, located at 3500 East West Highway at the Mall at Prince George’s Plaza, for once again serving as our signature sponsor. The Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam Series has become a favorite Friday night event throughout the summer months. 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. Our thanks to McDonald Auto Body Towing Division for their sponsorship of Mandy’s performance! Join us at the City Municipal Building at 4310 Gallatin Street, rain or shine! We’re outside on Gallatin Street if the sun is shining. In the event of inclement weather, the Jam moves inside. Attendance is free and open to everyone. There is a charge for food and beverages. Find out more at www.hyattsville.org/summerjam or call Cheri Everhart, the City’s recreation events coordinator, at 301/985-5021.
The City’s best play date is back at Magruder Park beginning Tuesday, September 10. The Parent & Child Program allows parents and other caregivers to bring preschoolers to the Magruder Park Recreation Center for playtime and crafts. The program features both free play and structured activities. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The program meets on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays during the school year. Registration information will be available later this month. Visit www.hyattsville.org/pcprogram or call 301/985-5000.
August-September 2013
Tuesday, September 3
FINAL OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE SUMMER JAM OF 2013 TAKES PLACE SEPTEMBER 13
PARENT & CHILD PROGRAM RETURNS SEPTEMBER 10
CALENDAR
HOLIDAY - Labor Day. City Administrative offices closed. No Yard Waste pick-up, City-wide.
IN OTHER NEWS... LABOR DAY TRASH COLLECTION CHANGES
Page HR2
Looking for updates on WSSC projects in your neighborhood? Use their maps to see the status of current projects. Maps can be accessed on WSSC’s website: http://gisweb.wsscwater.com/InYourNeighborhood/
HYATT PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN
Looking for information on the Community Garden? The Hyatt Park Community Garden just keeps growing! They now have their own website. For information on the 2013 gardening season, please visit them at hyattparkgarden.org.
CAR SEAT SAFETY CHECKS
Got kids? Then you’ve got car seats! Maryland law requires all children under the age of eight to ride in an appropriate safety seat. But the seat alone is not enough - proper installation is the key to keeping our littlest passengers safe. Despite
Planning Committee, 7:30 PM
Friday, September 20
Sunset Movie Series, 7 PM, Heurich Park A.G.E.S. Senior Workshop, 11:30 AM to 1 PM Welcoming Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS
Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. our best efforts, estimates suggest that as many as seven out of ten kids are not buckled in properly. The City of Hyattsville’s Police Department can help. To schedule a safety seat check, please contact Officer Christine Fekete at 301/9855060 or via email to cfekete@hyattsville.org. She’ll be happy to help parents install a new seat or improve the fit of your current equipment. Car Seat Safety Checks aren’t just for new parents, either. Consider calling when your child transitions from an infant to a toddler seat, or when you buy a new vehicle and transfer your seats from your old car. Checks are free of charge for any City of Hyattsville resident.
NIXLE
The City is now using Nixle to send public safety alerts and information 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.
Page 8
Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
CALENDAR
continued from page 7
Ongoing
The Hyattsville Farmer’s Market sets up shop in the parking lot of 3505 Hamilton Street, adjacent to Bestway and across from the Hyattsville Community Garden. Stop by to sample the bounty of Southern Maryland. Free. Tuesdays, 2 to 6 p.m. 301.985.5000 or 301.627.0977. At the producers-only Riverdale Park Farmer’s Market, fruits
and vegetables are only the beginning. Depending on the week, shoppers may find baked goods, wine, soap, herbs and more. Free. Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m. Riverdale Park, 301.332.6258.
Sunday at 9 a.m. at Arrow Bicycles, 5108 Baltimore Avenue. This is a 32-mile, moderately paced ride that emphasizes group-riding techniques. New group riders welcome. 301.531.9250.
The Health Ministry of St. Mark the Evangelist Church offers an ongoing yoga class on Friday mornings. All ages are welcome; class is gentle enough for active seniors. $6 per class. 9 a.m. 7501 Adelphi Road. 301.422.7026.
Community Calendar is 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 September submissions is August 23.
A group bike ride starts every
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Dear Miss Floribunda, I don’t need help gardening at the moment because I am up to my ears in tomatoes, beans, peppers, squash, greens and corn. I have mini-cherry trees full of fruit. I have so much that I don’t even mind sharing with the squirrels, birds and raccoons. I can’t share any more with neighbors because I suspect they are starting to avoid me for fear of having more produce forced upon them. I do recall that in my childhood old ladies would can things for the winter. It was hot work, and I thought it unfortunate that tasks that make you uncomfortably warm, like ironing and canning, were most necessary in the summer. I have a small freezer, but am not sure what to freeze. What do other gardeners around here do to preserve summer bounty so as to enjoy it in the winter? Overwhelmed on Oglethorpe Street Dear Overwhelmed,
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I checked with my friends Ivan and Capability Green Grozni, who are as knowledgeable about cooking as they are about gardening. They tell me that green beans, lima beans and greens (especially spinach) freeze quite well. Tomatoes, peppers and squash can be frozen but it changes their texture. They are fine in soups, however, and the tomatoes and peppers can be made into salsa at a cooler time of year. Aunt Sioux reports success roasting sweet peppers before freezing them. She strings up her little hot peppers to dry and hangs them from the rafters in her basement. My neighbor Herr Huber Krumelschicht dug himself a root cellar, and swears by it for storing onions, winter squash, cabbages, beets, potatoes, turnips and carrots through the winter, as well as his pickles and jams. Many kinds of beans dry well, as well as most fruit. Cherries, by the way, are easily dried in the sun. Wash them, remove the pits, pat them dry and spread them on a cookie sheet outside when rain is not expected. Cover with cheesecloth to keep the birds away, and secure the cloth by tying a string around the container to keep out ants as well. When you bring them inside after two or three days, put them in the oven at low heat to kill possible bacteria. (Or you could just dry them in the oven to start with.) They could be used wherever you would use raisins. My Cousin Tipsy likes to soak them in grain alcohol for a number of weeks and then use them in Christmas trifles. The grain alcohol, by the way, becomes a really delicious cordial. You might want to bring your cherries to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society, where Dr. Agronomosky will bring his food dehydrator and Herr Krumelschicht, his pressure cookers. The meeting will be a workshop on food preservation of all kinds, Gardener chefs will compare notes on the different preservation methods they use, including the techniques’ suitability to different varieties of fruit and vegetables. Also under discussion will be their convenience, consumption of time, and their nutritional advantages and disadvantages. The alternatives to canning, freezing, and drying — salting, candying, and pickling, to mention a few — will not be neglected. Aunt Sioux, ever the traditionalist and apparently impervious to hot temperatures of any kind, will bring a panoply of antique and near-antique canning implements whose uses she will explain. She mentioned the following: a graniteware canning kettle, long wooden spoons, jar lifters, various types of pottery and glass jars, canning funnels, strainers, water bath canner, and food mill. Of course, there will be lots of books and a recipe swap, which should include Aunt Sioux’s famous apple sauce. So mark your calendars now: Saturday, August 17, at 10 a.m. at the Hyattsville Municipal Building Further questions can be directed to floribundav@gmail.com.
Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
Page 9
BATTLE
continued from page 1
one, Day said, especially for people living in Maryland and the surrounding area, where much of it occurred. Riversdale seemed like a natural setting, since the house was only a few years old when the war began. Also, he said, “Nobody else was doing [1812 re-enactments], and I thought … that this story needed to be told.” Day said most people know
SARAH L. ROGERS/ATHA Members of the Shipʼs Company get their cannon into position during last yearʼs Battle of Bladensburg Encampment. The event has mounting significance as the battleʼs bicentennial approaches in 2014.
“There were 7,500 people tromping across this place that is now a shopping plaza and houses. There’s not a lot there that will tell you that there’s a battlefield.” — Aaron Marcavitch executive director, ATHA relatively little about the War of 1812 compared to other historical events like the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Among other people working to change that is Aaron Marcavitch, the executive director of the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area (ATHA). A program ATHA started last year, Maryland Milestones, is helping educate local residents about the history around them by promoting events like the Riversdale Encampment. The
organization is also helping to cover the cost of mansion tours, making them free for the day. “There were 7,500 people tromping across this place that is now a shopping plaza and houses,” Marcavitch said. “There’s not a lot there that will tell you that there’s a battlefield, so this is the way that you can make a connection to that particular moment in history.” At the center of that connection are the re-enactors. Norvell, who lives in Mount Rainier, said it takes a lot of research and preparation to make the era come to life. For her role as a gentlewoman, the research involves finding out as much as she can about the period – everything from what people were wearing to what they were reading. For the men who portray soldiers, she said, the research centers on the uniforms, weaponry, officers and strategy of the particular unit and the time period. “In doing living history, you kind of have to immerse yourself in it,” said Norvell. If everything falls into place, reenactments can create the perfect window into a particular period of time. This unique portal offers reenactors and viewers the chance not only to learn about history, but to get as close to living and experiencing it as possible. “Certainly it doesn’t reach everyone that way, but I think that when you’re here and in a site that’s … over 200 years old, it’s conducive to that,” Day said. “If you squint your eyes a little bit, you think, ‘Wow that must’ve been what it was like.’”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
MARKETS
continued from page 1
the plan from MV+A are working with the commercial development firm Echo Realty to tweak the plans and begin construction early next year. Amendments have already been submitted, said Jack W. Hollon, principal of the Bethesda-based architecture firm. The biggest change is removing the 11-story, 176-unit residential component that was to be built atop Safeway. The developer wants those off the table, MV+A ARCHITECTS especially now that the Kiplinger property, less than a mile down Developers hope to replace a University Town Center parking lot that faces East-West Highway with a East-West Highway at Editors’ 56,000-square-foot Safeway. Featuring a two-story glass storefront, the supermarket would serve as both Park Drive, recently won county entrance and anchor for the struggling shopping center. approval for rezoning that allows up to 870 apartments and 34,000 and steel design is a two-story ing lot that runs along East-West Hyattsville City Council. “It’s HighwayHighway between Democracy missing an anchor and an ensquare feet of retail space.7.26.13 UTC glass storefront, which he called East-West Perspective SiteforSafeway 12097.00 NOT TO SCALE Avenue and America Boulevard. trance. There’s nothing on EastThe grocery store’s design hasHyattsville, “a departure Safeway.â€? Maryland “Right now, University Town West Highway that signals destichanged, too, from “more decoâ€? A new rooftop parking deck to “more modern,â€? Hollon told adds 210 spaces, with another Center is more or less an isolated nation retail.â€? the Hyattsville Planning Com- 77 spots at ground level. That is island,â€? said the developer’s at- The planning committee unanimittee at its July 16 meeting. significant because the building torney, Matthew Tedesco, during mously approved the revised Most notable in the brick, glass site is currently a 190-spot park- an August 5 presentation to the plan, with conditions, at the July 16 meeting. The city council seems poised to do the same. FOOD FOR DOGS, CATS & SMALL ANIMALS • ECO-FRIENDLY SUPPLIES AND SUPPLEMENTS “I liked what I saw and I’d like to move forward with it,â€? said Councilmember Tim Hunt (Ward 3), whose ward includes the shopping center. Mayor Marc Tartaro agrees. “I think it’s going to be a wonderSave on Flea & Tick ful opportunity for UTC and the city,â€? he said. “There’s a vacant lot products and make them now, and [this plan] will create smile again‌ a front door off East-West into UTC. This will jump-start that 10% OFF on all Flea and Tick whole area.â€? products for both dogs and cats! This official support contrasts
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with that received by Whole Foods’ proposed opening in Riverdale Park as the centerpiece of a mixed-use project. In May, after months of lengthy and sometimes contentious public hearings, the Prince George’s County Planning Board unanimously approved the site plan for the 37acre Cafritz property. The plan calls for nearly 1,000 residences and about 187,000 square feet of commercial space on what is now a largely forested tract. But three appeals were filed, including two from nearby municipalities. Acting as the District Council, the Prince George’s County Council will consider the appeals on September 9. County Councilmember Eric Olson (District 3), who represents the Cafritz property’s district, has been unwavering in his opposition to the develop7 ment. Olson and others oppose the plan because of its projected environmental and traffic consequences. The University Town Center project is in District 2, and has the support of its representative, County Councilmember Will Campos. “I’m sure the community would appreciate a project that would help revitalize UTC,� said Campos. Local resident Cynthia Finley is one such community member. “Between a new Safeway and Whole Foods, I may actually start grocery shopping again, rather than just sending my husband to Target three times a week,� she said.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
Page 11
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Hugh’sNews
The other Florida shooting by Hugh Turley
In May, just 25 miles from the Florida town where Trayvon Martin was shot, 27-year-old Ibragim Todashev (pronounced Ih-brah-HEEM To-DAH-shev) was killed in his Orlando apartment during an interrogation by federal and state law-enforcement officials. Reni Manukya, Todashev’s widow, has said the FBI arrived at 7:30 p.m. on May 21 to question her husband about a possible link to Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. In the wee hours of May 22, Todashev was shot seven times, including what his father, Abdulbaki Todashev, called “an execution-style” shot to the head, by an FBI agent. The father plans to file a civil suit against the FBI. Good luck. My friend Patrick Knowlton tried to sue the FBI for grand jury witness intimidation and he could not find a judge all the way to the Supreme Court who would allow his case to proceed. On July 22, the ACLU called for an independent investigation. Since law-enforcement officers from Massachusetts and Florida were present at Todashev’s death, attorneys asked state officials to launch investigations. They declined. The other officers present, as well as myriad official sources quoted in news reports, and the shooter have not been named. Senior law enforcement officials have leaked to the press “facts” to assassinate the character of the victim saying he was “the aggressor,” ready to confess to a triple murder, and was once charged with road rage. The public has a right to know the name of the shooter, in case he would come to other homes to “ask questions.” The FBI, which is handling the only investigation into Todashev’s death, has blocked the Florida Medical Examiner’s Office from releasing the official report on the cause of death.
Quoting anonymous senior law enforcement officials, news outlets reported that Todashev was being questioned about Tsarnaev, who he apparently knew from working out at the same Boston gym. Some law enforcement officials reported that the interrogation concerned an unsolved triple homicide in Waltham, Mass. on September 11, 2011. Depending on which published account you read, at some point during the questioning Todashev attacked the FBI agent with an object, a knife, a sharp object, a metal pole, a broomstick, an overturned table, a samurai sword, or some kind of weapon. In other reports, he was unarmed. CBS News senior correspondent John Miller said, “according to people I’ve spoken to,” moments before the shooting, Todashev was “writing out on a pad his involvement in the triple murder.” Before joining CBS, Miller was an assistant director of public affairs for the FBI. Why should anyone believe John Miller’s unnamed sources? Michael German, senior policy counsel in the American Civil Liberties Union’s legislative office, spent 16 years as an FBI agent. Now, he says, “what needs to happen, because so much contradictory information has been released, is an independent investigation.” We might consider: From what, exactly, should an independent investigation be independent? The answer: the government. The U.S. Constitution provides for an independent investigation in the Fifth Amendment, which states that “No person shall be held to answer for a capital crime or otherwise infamous offense, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury ... nor shall any person ... be compelled in a criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” The original grand jury panel of
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citizens was truly independent of the government, without any federal prosecutor in the grand jury room. But in 1946, the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure placed the grand jury under the government’s control. Only by restoring its original independence can an independent investigation by citizens determine if Todahshev was being compelled to be a witness against himself and deprived of his life by government agents. Could Americans be the most uninformed people on earth regarding their constitutional rights and responsibilities? Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Hyattsville Life & Times.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
“It was a miracle” by Sharada Weaver
“It was a miracle,” were the four words on the lips of many Northwestern High School students after learning late this spring that enough money had been raised for choir members to perform in South Africa in July. Many of us had never been out of the country, or even on an airplane. This journey will be remembered in the hearts of current students, parents, teachers, families, friends and alumni. When our choir director, Leona Lowery Fitzhugh, applied to the Ilhombe Music Festival over two years ago, no one really expected to go. Even after we learned we’d been accepted, many hurdles loomed before us – the biggest of which was the cost. The trip would consist of 10 days visiting and performing at some of the country’s most historic sites. As many of you know, all of us went through more than our fair share of fundraisers to make this trip possible. But on July 10, when we stepped into Dulles International Airport, it hit us all: It was really happening! As we were driving for the first time from Johannesburg to Pretoria, in a tour bus with the steering wheel on the opposite side, it was riveting to see how everything seemed so similar but somehow so different. It was truly amazing to have the privilege to sing outside the Pretoria hospital where Nelson Mandela, or “Tata Madiba” as South Africans call him, was staying. There were crowds gathered around, cameras and signs everywhere, and letters strung up on the fence from well-wishers of all ages, reflecting the reverence the people have for Tata Madiba. The ambiance made performing there even more emotional for us. Visiting Freedom Park was an-
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other awe-inspiring experience. Seeing the beauty of the place, hearing the stories, reading the quotes and seeing the list of people that were killed during the struggle against apartheid filled our minds with even more emotions. It was one of many things
on our journey that helped us see how lucky we are, even if we don’t always feel it. We certainly felt lucky to be performing in the music festival, with participants from all over the world singing their national anthems. Among the groups we met
and had the privilege to sing with were the Toronto Children’s Chorus, New York’s New Amsterdam Singers, choirs from Australia, Trinidad and many South African choirs. It was so neat hearing music coming from people of different nationalities with unique voices. That will always be a memorable part of this trip. Our sightseeing gave us many memories, too. We visited the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum. Hector was a 13-yearold who was killed by police in 1976 during a protest against Afrikaans. Outside the museum were rows of tables of beaded animals, jewelry, paintings, clothing and bags, with young men trying to sell them to us. It was very hard trying to bargain with them, especially when they called us “brothah,” and “sistah.” One told me, “I’ve been waiting for you, my sistah!” – making it even harder to resist the urge to buy too much. The attention made us feel honored, but sorry for them. Throughout the trip, the South Africans made us feel at home A different type of memorial we visited was the Amy Biehl School, named for a 26-yearold Caucasian-American who was killed in 1993 by four Cape Town natives. A Fulbright Scholar, she had been working in South Africa to end apartheid. Her parents launched the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust to dissuade others from violence. The trip there brought a spectrum of smiles for us and for the children we met. In one classroom, the little preschoolers sang to us, and we taught them
Leona Lowery fitzhugh
“If You’re Happy And You Know It.” Then, as a group, we sang the well-known South African song “Shosholoza” and the country’s national anthem. It warmed my heart to meet a sweet little girl who wouldn’t let go of my hand and who felt comfortable in my arms, even though I was a stranger to her. We met more children in Soweto, where the heartbreaking shantytowns made a lasting impression on us. This time really made us grateful for what we have. Many people there do not have electricity (although shops and restaurants do) and some people use car batteries for cooking. It opened up for us ideas and ways of living that we may have never known. The children of Soweto made me feel special, and it felt important to be there to hug them. As we were leaving, we gathered water bottles and extra money and gave them to the kids. But we also got to experience the beauty of South Africa. We went up Table Mountain on an aerial cableway that rotates so you can get a good look at everything ... and WOW! The view was picture perfect. The day we were at Table, we had the right artsy dimness sitting on the sunshine, fogginess coming in like a storm cloud in the distance, water shimmering like silk cloth, and buildings in perfect contours and silhouettes standing tall. It was unreal. And staying in the Heia Safari Game Reserve was fascinating. Waking up to a giraffe outside our “hutel,” as my friend and I called it, was eye-out-of-socket shocking! The view was so sur-
Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
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1. Choir Director Leona Lowery Fitzhugh and several of her students proudly display the flag of Hyattsville on a rainy day at the Cape of Good Hope. 2. At the hospital where Nelson Mandela was staying, the fences were covered with cards and letters. 3. Sharada Weaver and a young girl she met at the Amy Biehl school. 4. A group shot of the Northwestern Choir with other choirs at Signal Park. 5. Students were struck by the poverty they witnessed in Soweto. 6. A puzzled penguin at Boulders Beach. This protected colony of African penguins established in the early 1980s, is one of the very few mainland penguin colonies. 7. The choir sings at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town.
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real it could have been a painting. We saw mountains way out in the distance, the serene waterfall and lake, and, wandering around the preserve, zebras, antelopes and zonkies (animals that are a cross between a zebra and a donkey). Yep, it was Africa. Having all our meals at the Heia camp brought us closer together as a community. And throughout the trip, we were thinking of the wonderful and generous supporters back at home and all around the world who
sharada weaver
had made this trip possible. They were with us in spirit as we toured around the sites in South Africa, sang our hearts out in concerts, and came together as a choir family. We will remember them as one of the most important parts of our journey. I’m so happy this dream became a reality, especially for our choir director, Ms. Leona Lowery Fitzhugh. She has a gift for making our choir stand out as a unique and beautiful choir.
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Another high point was during our five concerts, and while we loved the heartfelt standing ovations, the best part was when everyone got up and started dancing and singing along. The songs, “Shosholoza,” “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika,” and “Total Praise,” were the three well-known songs that got everyone up on their feet. It’s Africa, and so singing, dancing and music in general, is a way of bringing people closer together and feeling adoration towards each and
every person. From singing trains that traveled around City Hall to standing as a rainbow of choirs on red-carpeted stairs of churches, the people in Africa, really knew how to make us feel at home, even though we were thousands and thousands and thousands of miles from home. Sharada Weaver is a rising sophomore at Northwestern High School.
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Save the date for: Friday, September 4th at 7:30 PM Friday, September 20th at 7:00 PM Friday, October 4th at 7:00 PM Titles coming soon! All movies will be shown at Heurich Park, at the intersection of Nicholson Street and Ager Road. Free and open to the public.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | August 2013
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