ELECTION PREVIEW
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES
NEW COLUMN DEBUT
On November 4, voters will be faced with several key Prince George’s County-specific questions. Referendum questions addressing term limits and anti-discrimination will both be on the ballot. PAGE 3
Meet Jake Rollow, the City’s new Director of Community Services. Rollow comes to Hyattsville after years of working with local communities across the country and around the world. PAGE 2
Over the next few months, Kit Slack will highlight local schools. This month she takes a look at all Hyattsville Elementary has to offer. PAGE 7
Designs for transit district revealed New plan includes second metro entrance, tree-lined walkways by Andrew Marder and Rebecca Bennett
On September 17, more than 60 people met at the Hyattsville Municipal Building to kick off a three-day design charrette to discuss updating the transit district development plan (TDDP) for the area around the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station. The meetings, run by the County planning department, were designed to give community members a chance to make suggestions for the future of the area around the Mall at Prince George’s. That area, bounded by Northwestern High School on the north, the Hyattsville Library on the east, Nicholas Orem on the south, and West Park Drive on the west, has been designated as a future downtown site in the Plan Prince George’s 2035 program. Residents, City Council members and business stakeholders were asked to suggest ways in which they thought the area could be improved. Questions ranged from how to increase
Hyattsville Life&Times
Vol. 11 No. 10
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
Hyattsville man may hold key to Lyon sisters’ disappearance
Police search family home, property for clues in 1975 case by Susie Currie and Rebecca Bennett
SUSIE CURRIE Two weeks after police searched Richard Welchʼs 41st Place home, they named him a person of interest in the disappearance of two young girls nearly 40 years ago. Nephew Lloyd Welch, who grew up in Hyattsville, became a person of interest in February.
CHARRETTE continued on page 12
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID EASTON MD PERMIT NO. 43
October 2014
SHEILA LYON
KATHERINE LYON
LLOYD LEE WELCH JR
RICHARD ALLEN WELCH SR
Months after his nephew was implicated in one of Washington’s most notorious cold cases, a Hyattsville man who police say worked in Wheaton as a security guard in the 1970s has been targeted as well. On October 2, in a joint press conference between authorities in Montgomery County, Md. and Bedford County, Va., police named Richard Allen Welch Sr. a “person of interest” in the disappearance of Sheila and Katherine Lyon nearly 40 years ago. The sisters, ages 12 and 10, were last seen on March 25, 1975, walking the half-mile between Wheaton Plaza and their home. The missing girls sparked a high-profile, wide-ranging investigation. WELCH continued on page 13
Pedestrian safety in spotlight after fatalities Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
by Rebecca Bennett
On August 27, Aimee Condayan of Hyattsville said her 9-year-old son was nearly struck while crossing Jefferson Street. The family was headed towards Elevation Burger. Condayan said she was holding her 4-yearold’s hand when they saw the walk sign flash. “In what felt like a millisecond, I saw my son step into the street as a large, black SUV flew right toward his path. I froze and screamed my son’s name and the SUV had passed us,” she said. Elizabeth Pfaffenroth said her family also
had a close call on August 28 at that same intersection, just one day after Condayan. “Despite having the right of way, we were almost hit by a driver [who was] turning into the complex on Jefferson from Route 1 going south,” Pfaffenroth said. Not everyone has been so lucky. Earlier this year, three fatal pedestrian accidents led to the Maryland State Highway Administration (MDSHA) to make high-profile changes on Route 1 in College Park. Alterations include a reduction in the speed limit from 30 to 25 miles per hour and the installation of a barrier to prevent pedestrians crossing Route 1 ex-
cept at intersections. A pedestrian-activated signal at Hartwick Road is to be completed by late October. On September 11, a bicyclist was struck on East West Highway in front of the Mall at Prince Georges. Police believe the victim was in the crosswalk at the time of the collision and cite heavy rain as a factor. That person survived, but Thelma Flores was not so lucky while walking with her 3-year-old daughter on September 1. The mother-of-two was killed in the crosswalk PEDESTRIAN continued on page 8
Included: The October 7, 2014 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section
Page 2
Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
NEWS BRIEFS RESIDENT ARRESTED FOR MURDER Anne Arundel County Police have charged Hyattsville resident Terrence Robert Proctor with firstdegree murder in the 2013 death of a Davidsonville woman and her dog. The 37-year-old, who WJLA says once served 10 years in prison for attempted murder, lives in the 4100 block of Oliver Street in Hyattsville. FIRST LEGISLATIVE LISTENING SESSION On September 30, over 70 people attended the first of three legislative listening sessions to be held by County Executive Rushern L. Baker III for Prince George’s County residents. The session took place at Northwestern High School, where State and County government employees were on
A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781 http://HyattsvilleLife.com http://facebook.com/HyattsvilleLife http://twitter.com/HvilleTimes Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community Newspaper, Inc., a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation. Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the email addresses below. Managing Editor Caroline Selle caroline@hyattsvillelife.com 410.991.9209 Production Ashley Perks Website Manager Rebecca Bennett Digital Archives Manager Susie Currie susie@hyattsvillelife.com 301.633.9209 Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234 Writers & Contributors Amanda Alley, Katy June-Friesen, Lauren Kelly, Gray O’Dwyer, Molly Parrish, Scarlett Salem, Fred Seitz, Julia Gaspar-Bates Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President Susie Currie - Secretary Peggy Dee, Karen J. Riley, Rosanna Landis Weaver, Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter Ross Caroline Selle - 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.
hand to answer questions about code violations, social services, and safety. Residents were also encouraged to make use of the CountyClick 311 program, “a one-stop call center” for residents that provides answers and assistance for non-emergency issues.
The Hyattsville Life & Times is hiring. Want to be a part of our award-winning team? Here’s your chance. We’re hiring editorial and volunteer staff now who can help expand our reach in print and online. If you live here, know your neighbors, and care about what happens in the city, read on.
NICHOLAS OREM MIDDLE ADVANCES TO SCIENCE BOWL SEMIFINALS The team from Nicholas Orem Middle School will advance to the Science Bowl semifinals for the first time. Team captain David Sanchez and eighth-graders Stan Amouzou, Michael Blackwell, and Paul Oriala competed on September 23. According to Prince George’s County Public Schools, more than 7,000 children have participated in elementary and middle school competitions since the Science Bowl began in 1986. This year’s competition features 40 elementary and 16 middle schools. Videos from the competition will be available online. Students will return on March 17, 2015 to play in the middle school semifinals and finals. POTENTIAL LIBRARY DESIGNS ANNOUNCED Based on feedback from previous public input meetings, the design firm in charge of drafting potential plans for the new building said they will work to preserve the Saucer.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CANDY HOLLAND Hyattsville resident Desiree Holland was awarded the gold medal in the 2014 Special Olympics USA 10K cycling competition. Holland, who is the daughter of Candy Holland and Hyattsville Chief of Police Doug Holland, is a regular competitor in Special Olympics events. Her coach, Chris Militello, is the co-owner of Arrow Bicycle in Hyattsville.
The firm is tentatively favoring a plan which puts the new building in an off-set center position on the property with more than 100 parking spaces below. Due to the property slope, the plan for the parking garage would place it where the lower level administrative offices currently reside (not underground). For rapid response updates on Hyattsville news, check www.HyattsvilleLife.com.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Our future executive editor will have journalism and/or web and social-media experience, and be able to generate story ideas and produce top-notch work on deadline. He or she will be reliable, with a schedule flexible enough to cover some weekend and evening events and oversee production weekend each month. COPY EDITOR We’re looking for a skilled copy editor to review print stories for spelling, punctuation, grammar, style and flow on the first weekend of every month. VOLUNTEER Are you an amateur photographer? Good at tracking clues? Maybe you note all the errors in your paperbacks. Pitch your skills to us. We’re looking for writers, copy editors, content editors, and photographers for print and/ or web. If any of the above sounds like you, email a cover letter, resume and up to three samples of your work to recruitment@hyattsvillelife.com.
Hyattsville welcomes Jake Rollow as new Director of Community Services by Naomi Eide
As the new Director of Community Services for the City of Hyattsville, Jake Rollow brings years of experience working with local communities in the United States and internationally. Originally from Chicago, Rollow went to the University of Michigan and majored in English and with concentration in social justice. There, he studied “isms,” like racism, sexism and classism, and became a student facilitator, leading seminars on gender. He grew up speaking Spanish with friends and became fluent when he studied abroad in Central America during his junior year of college. He used those skills after graduation when he moved to Maryland for the first time to work for the Hispanic Link News Service. In 2003, he covered the Immigrant Workers Freedom Rides, a movement where advocates rode buses cross country draw attention to the challenges facing immigrants. Later, he traveled with a freelance photographer along the U.S.-Mexico border. Their work covered the Immigrant Workers Freedom
Rides, the Minutemen movement and told stories of immigrants who had crossed the border. We “tried to cover the different angles of the issue,” RolJake Rollow low said. He continued working as a journalist, joining the El Paso Times as a beat reporter. Following five years as a journalist, Rollow went back to school at Columbia University for Masters of International Affairs. Like many, “I went to graduate school unsure of what I would do afterward,” Rollow said. He met his future wife, Casey Ehrlich, at Columbia. Rollow completed his masters in 2009 and moved back to the border to work with Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico on community affairs and border issues. After three years, Senator Bingaman retired and Rollow began working for his successor, Senator Martin Heinrich. After working in federal government, though, he realized that a “better place for me
to work is at the local level,” Rollow said. He and Ehrlich were married in June 2013 and moved to Columbia together to work on her dissertation. In Eastern Antioquia, a region that was hard hit by the country’s conflict in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, Ehrlich studied civilian resistance and grassroots peacebuilding. Rollow worked as a freelance journalist and as her research partner. In 2014, they moved back to the Washington, D.C area and then into the city, where they currently live. Once back in the States, Rollow began looking for positions in local government and happened upon the posting for his current job on the Maryland Municipal League website. As the Director of Community Services for the City of Hyattsville, his goal is to stay “inclusive in our outreach,” Rollow said. With his work on local programming and recreation, Rollow wants to find ways to both meet and fit the needs of the community at large. He wants to build a culture of engagement, he said, and one way to do that is to “make sure residents know the city government is here and wants to help them.”
Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
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County-specific questions to address term limits, discrimination on November 4 by Caroline Selle
On November 4, Prince George’s County voters will answer a total of ten County-specific questions on the gubernatorial election ballot. Though most of the questions deal with setting new limits as to how much the County can borrow for bonds to finance facilities like fire stations, libraries, and public works, one question has gained a lot of attention: term limits. Come election day, voters will decide whether the maximum consecutive term limit for County elected officials should be extended from two to three. Term limits were instituted in Prince George’s County in 1992, and voters upheld the two-term limit in 2000. According to the Washington Post, allowing only two consecutive terms is rare in the Washington metro area. Only three other Maryland counties — St. Mary’s, Anne Arundel and Howard — have such restrictions. County Executive Rushern Baker spearheaded the campaign to end term limits back in 2000 and has been supportive of this latest initiative. Several other prominent local politicians have come out in support of the referendum, including Deni Taveras. After winning the primary by six votes, Taveras is running unopposed for the District 2 seat
Katy June-Friesen
recently vacated by Will Campos on the County Council. “At this time I’m in favor of the change,” she said. Elected officials need time to familiarize themselves with government processes in order to achieve
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their goals. “I can appreciate the concern folks have with the term limits, but I can also appreciate
the need to extend term limits by one,” she said. Hyattsville City Council member Shani Warner (Ward 2) said she is wary about extending term limits given the County’s history. “There are certain bad actors who you get into certain positions,” she said, “and ... because it’s a predominantly Democratic community it’s really hard to get someone out if they’re a bad actor. It’s not like we have a lot of competition from Republicans for these positions.” Voters will also determine whether the County will prohibit discrimination based on disability or sexual orientation amongst its employees. Since 2001, state law has protected against discrimination based on sexual orientation. A law protecting gender identity was passed in May 2014 and took effect on October 1. “There are two important reasons why [the County would] want to have it in their personnel manual,” said Hyattsville City Council member Patrick Paschall (Ward 3). The first is to put employees “on notice” — to remind them that of what the law actually is. Even though disability and sexual
orientation are protected at the state level, “The other reason that it’s important to have these protections at the local level is so there’s a formal mechanism by which people can appeal or file complaints about discrimination they’ve experienced,” Paschall said. Paschall said he wishes the County were including gender identity and marital status in the referendum. Hyattsville was one of the first Maryland jurisdictions to protect against discrimination based on gender identity. “We got out ahead of the state in extending certain protections to transgender individuals. I applaud the county for catching up, for realizing that this is important as an issue,” said Warner. Additional County-specific questions will address how to fill a vacancy in the County Executive’s office and whether the number of “designated newspapers of record” will change from three to “one or more.” To vote on November 4, individuals must register to vote by Tuesday, October 14. A sample ballot can be viewed at www. elections.state.md.us. For coverage of the primary election, visit www.HyattsvilleLife.com and search for “Primary.”
Alexander Performing Arts (ACDG) Hyattsville’s Non-Profit Center for the Performing Arts
Zumba classes starting in October!
Thursdays 7-8 p.m., $40 for six weeks Seniors: Wednesdays, 10-11 a.m., $40 for six weeks
Registering NOW for Fall Classes! Hip-Hop, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Modern, Zumba, Universal Exercise, Theatre, Pageantry Ages 3 to seniors. Referral and family discounts!
Register and bring a friend in September or October and get one month of free classes!
Call, email or just visit our studio!
4318 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville, MD 20781 • (240) 770-8114 acdgperformingarts@gmail.com • www.alexandercdg.com
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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014 Special Fall Supplement from the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department
HYATTSVILLE VOLUNTEERS Official Fall 2014 Community Update of the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department
Don’t Miss It!
Fire Safety Day 2014 Moves To the Mall at Prince George’s 10am-2pm Saturday, October 25th Every year we’ve traditionally held our Open House & Fire Safety Day at our firehouse, but due to construction of our temporary quarters we’re excited to announce that this year’s event will be hosted at the Mall at Prince George’s on Saturday, October 25 from 10am until 2pm. The event, which will take place in the center portion of the Mall as well as outside, will include: • Kid’s Fire Safety Adventure Course • Giveaways & Prizes! • Free Blood Pressure Checks • Try on Firefighter Gear • Fire Trucks on Display & Photo Opportunities • Meet the Firehouse Mascot • Face Painting • Fire Safety Demonstrations & Much More! We hope you and your family (especially those kids) will join us for this exciting community event.
New Firehouse, Public Safety Facility To Serve Community for Next 50 Years Last year, the Hyattsville VFD was joined by the American Red Cross of the National Capital Region and Prince George’s County in breaking ground for an incredible new joint emergency services facility. The location of the firehouse, at Belcrest and Queens Chapel Road, has been identified as the most ideal for fire, rescue and EMS response to our community and keeping the facility at its present location was of key importance. Construction is being funded through the county’s Capital Improvement Program, with the Red Cross and HVFD partnering on joining the organizations’ properties to facilitate the project. The combined facility is 24,988 square feet including 4,353 square feet dedicated to the American Red Cross and nearly 8,000 square feet of emergency apparatus bay space, gear and equipment storage. The ground level Red Cross facility includes 1,041 square feet of shared meeting, training and multipurpose space which will also serve as a regional disaster management facility if needed. The Fire Department space will be on two levels. The first floor will include four large apparatus bays with supporting rooms for gear and equipment, offices, day room, dining area and kitchen. The second floor features separate male and female quarters for live-in members, male and female sleeping quarters for local members on duty for response, shower and toilet facilities and a laundry room, a study room (for our college students and other members who need dedicated areas to study), a physical training/fitness room to be shared with Hyattsville police and the administrative and operational offices of the HVFD. The design and construction of the new facility is intended to be “a green building” by selecting low energy use lighting, low energy use HVAC units, and added exterior wall and attic insulation to reduce energy consumption.
The exterior of the new facility was specially designed to have a residential look with specific features consistent with the existing Hyattsville neighbor community. Construction on the new firehouse is scheduled to begin in 2015 and take up to 24 months. A temporary quarters is being completed this year in the former Red Cross building adjacent to the current firehouse to ensure 24/7/365 continuous service to our community during construction. Follow construction progress on Facebook (http://facebook.com/ HyattsvilleVFD) or on Twitter @HyattsvilleVFD and learn more about the project at http://www.hvfd.com/firehouse.
Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
Page 5 SPECIAL FALL SUPPLEMENT FROM THE HYATTSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Support Your HVFD, Support Your Community For over 125 years, the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department has provided round-the-clock fire, rescue and emergency medical service to our community. The last few years have been our busiest ever – with nearly 6,000 calls for service in 2013. Our volunteer base is continuing to increase and is among the largest and strongest in the region.
Make Your Donation Today
The HVFD relies on donations from our community and various year-round fundraising programs to support every aspect of our Department. Initiatives include volunteer recruitment & retention programs; fire, rescue & EMS training; emergency vehicle purchases; fire prevention activities; community outreach programs, equipment and supplies ... and much more. This year construction will start on our new joint fire station and public safety facility in partnership with the American Red Cross National Capital Region and Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department. The new state-of-the-art facility, set to open in about three years on the current site of our Belcrest Road firehouse, will allow us to not only continue to provide the best fire, rescue and emergency medical service to the community, but also serve as the county headquarters for the Red Cross. During construction, we will continue to provide 24/7 emergency response from temporary quarters on site. Although the HVFD is also supported by grants from the City of Hyattsville and Town of University
Park, as well as targeted funds from Prince George’s County and state/Federal grant and funding programs, we rely on donations from our community and various year-round fundraising programs to support the Department. Initiatives include volunteer recruitment & retention programs; fire, rescue & EMS training; emergency vehicle purchases; fire prevention activities; community outreach programs, equipment and supplies ... and much more.
Your donations are critical, and go directly to allow us to continue to serve the community. We thank you for your continued support. The Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. is a 501 c (3) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are taxdeductible. Consult your tax advisor to learn how this applies to your personal situation.
HVFD Fall Fund Drive: Please Donate Now Details and Online Donations at give.hvfd.com Or mail your check to Hyattsville VFD, P.O. Box 5275, Hyattsville MD 20782
What Are We Missing? You! Join the HVFD Today From riding the front lines and responding to fires, rescues and medical emergencies to supporting the critical mission of the HVFD with administrative and support services, the HVFD’s membership is comprised of 80+ dedicated volunteers with an exceptionally diverse background. Consultant, Engineer, Executive, Med Student, Lawyer, IT Pro
For more information on joining the Hyattsville VFD, visit http://www. hvfd.com/join or email your name and contact information to join@ hvfd.com.
Our volunteers include individuals with day-jobs such as social workers, teachers, entrepreneurs, engineers, local high school students, college students from around the country and more. But there’s something missing – YOU. We have immediate needs for operational, administrative and support volunteers as our department continues to grow.
Director, Captain, Fire Chief, FF/EMT, Sergeant, Life Member
Visit Us: http://www.hvfd.com
Donate: http://give.hvfd.com
/hyattsvillevfd
@hyattsvillevfd
Page 6
Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
CulturalConnections
Meet Amadou Bakayoko by Julia Gaspar-Bates
In 2011, Amadou Bakayoko and his wife discovered Hyattsville by chance while they were looking for a new home closer to Washington, D.C. “I like Hyattsville because it’s quiet, safe and you have a diverse population,” he said. “The residents are living as a well-integrated small community with people caring for and watching for one another.” Prior to moving to the U.S.,
Bakayoko lived in several West African countries. Although he was born and raised in the Côte d’Ivoire, Bakayoko primarily identifies with his ethnic group, the Dioula, who originated in Mali. “It’s difficult to talk about Ivoirian culture because there are more than 60 ethnic groups and each group has its own language and culture,” he said. Like most Dioula, Bakayoko is Muslim, and one of his fondest childhood memories is celebrat-
Christian Science Church 8300 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville • 301-422-1822
Sunday church services — 10:30 a.m. Sunday school (youth up to 20) — 10:30 a.m. Wednesday evening testimony meetings — 7:30 p.m.
All are welcome • Free literature available
Bible lesson sermon topics
ing the end of Ramadan. “During the festival people dress well, go to prayer, and ... celebrate with neighbors, even if they’re not Muslim. [As part of the celebrations], children must go around town to greet families and friends and they receive money and gifts. It’s a day of sharing and giving offerings,” he said. Bakayo relocated abroad after divisiveness between Côte d’Ivoire ethnic groups led to political unrest. While he was working for the Peace Corps in the city of Abidjan, he took a trip to Ghana. But during his vacation, a military coup that compelled the Peace Corps to close its Ivoirian office. Bakayoko decided to remain in Ghana until the situation calmed down. His short-term stay ended up lasting for three years, during which he met his wife, Sarah, a former American Peace Corps volunteer. Over the next few years, they
moved to Liberia, Benin, and France, where Bakayoko completed his first master’s degree. In 2009, Bakayoko and his wife moved to Baltimore. Bakayoko said he has experienced culture shock multiple times since arriving in the U.S. “In Africa life is not easy. You have to support an entire family,” Bakayoko said. “When you are in that environment where you have to struggle on a daily basis and you come to an environment where there are so many opportunities, it is difficult to understand that [people] are not seeing what they are missing.” His life experiences have taught him that, “Even if everything is against you, try as much as you can when you have an opportunity to make the best out of you.” Bakayoko believes that education is the foundation to success in life and he has returned to school at every opportunity. After acquiring a second master’s degree in Washington, D.C., he worked to provide education in developing countries.
Recently, Bakayoko created his own non-profit, WoCha (World of Change), which aims to educate girls in Côte d’Ivoire who would not otherwise have the opportunity to go to school. Bakayoko also co-founded Glob@lAdvance Co. LLC. Bakayoko has mixed feelings about raising his children in the U.S. He wants his son to benefit from life here and also have the opportunity to know Africa. Though Bakayoko hoped to find a better situation in the U.S. than in Africa, he said, “when you come here after a couple of months, you come down to reality. I don’t think people enjoy life here even though they’d like to ... there are a lot of people in the middle class who live paycheck to paycheck and because of that life is difficult and stressful.” Julia Gaspar-Bates is a cross-cultural trainer and consultant. “Cultural Connections” is devoted to bringing forward the voices of immigrants who have settled in Hyattsville.
Sunday Dec. 8 God the Only Cause & Creator Sunday Dec. 15 God the Preserver of Man Sunday Dec. 22 Christmas theme Sunday Dec. 29 Christian Science
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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
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SchoolNews Hyattsville Elementary expands arts offerings by Kit Slack
Just after dawn on a Thursday in mid-September, the halls of Hyattsville Elementary School are quiet as cafeteria workers and teachers trickle in, nursing coffee cups. Quiet, that is, except in the classroom of Michael Wehinger, the new music teacher, where a small chorus of fourth grade Lions is roaring, “Don’t worry, ‘bout a thing, cuz every little thing gonna be alright ...” The students move on to Winter Wonderland and Jingle Bell Rock, already rehearsing the Christmas concert. Early morning rehearsals begin days filled with more music and art instruction than in prior years. The school has a new Peabody-trained tuba player, Samuel Ambrose, who is teaching students instruments for orchestra and band. A full-time art instructor joined the staff, so all students have an art class each week. And the local art education nonprofit, ArtWorks Now, is in its second year running an afterschool program at Hyattsville Elementary. Hyattsville has had a public elementary school since the late 1800s, and on the present site since the late 1920s.
The school was a white school in a segregated system at its founding. In 1973, by court order, black students from an all black school in Capitol Hill were bussed in. By the late 90s, when the court found that Prince George’s County schools had successfully integrated, the HES student body was 55 percent black. Today, the school remains diverse, with Latino, black, and white students making up 44 percent, 35 percent, and 17 percent of the student body respectively. About a quarter of the school’s students have limited proficiency in English, and about three quarters qualify for free lunch because of low income. The current principal, Julia Burton, joined the staff two years ago at a time when the school was facing new challenges. In 2012, after a small drop in enrollments for free lunch, the school lost Title I funding for intervention specialists trained to help children with reading and math. This year the school regained Title I funding for one specialist to provide targeted assistance. After two more years, the dis-
trict will determine whether to reestablish school-wide services. Also during Burton’s tenure, the curriculum at Hyattsville Elementary changed to incorporate the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards (Common Core). Burton is enthusiastic about the new curriculum because “it allows students to spend more time with topics, and gain deeper understanding.” Burton is proud of the focus on nature and the local environment that the science curriculum has gained during her tenure. Through a new partnership with the Anacostia Watershed Society facilitated by a neighborhood parent, students have began making field trips to the river in Bladensburg in order to learn about birds and animals that live in the Anacostia watershed, and about the problem of urban runoff. Students are now growing native wetland plants from seed in their classrooms, and planting them along the river to help provide habitat and filtration. Most of all, Burton says she loves that Hyattsville Elementary is “a real community school; so many people from the
neighborhood come together to make the school a good place for kids to be.” Outgoing PTA president and current Ward 1 Councilman Bart Lawrence agrees. “Since my daughters have been at HES, nearly every time there’s been a need for support in the school, whether it’s budget cuts, health-related issues, or last-minute enrollments, parents, grandparents and community members have leant their support.” During the school year, between 30 and 45 regular volunteers, including parents and University of Maryland students, read with children, volunteer in the library, do grounds work, or spend time mentoring children on their lunch hour. This summer, parent-volunteer Christine Williams painted the walls of the school’s entryway in a colorful landscape full of whimsical, Seuss-inspired trees, fish, and birds. Kit Slack is a local resident and the stay at home mother of three pre-school age children. She will feature a different local elementary school in these pages for each of the next several months.
Hyattsville Farmers Market
Mercado de Agricultores de Hyattsville
Every Tuesday through October 28
Cada martes hasta el 28 de octubre
October 14 – Knopp Farm SALE on fresh produce, FREE 10 minute massages from Shine Massage October 21 – Migue’s SALE of six mini-doughnuts and a beverage for $5, PUMPKINS for purchase October 28 – Last day of the market with FREE specials!
14 de octubre – Knopp Farm PROMOCION en verduras frescas; masages de 10 minutos GRATIS con Shine Massage 21 de octubre – Migue’s PROMOCION de seis donas-mini y una bebida para $5; se vende CALABAZAS! October 28 – Ultimo día del Mercado con especiales GRATIS!
More information: Ellarose Preston, 301-985-5006, epreston@hyattsville.org
Más información: Ellarose Preston, 301-985-5006 o epreston@hyattsville.org
2 - 6 PM, 3505 Hamilton Street
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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
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the
Hyattsville Reporter Reportero de Hyattsville No. 296 • October 7, 2014
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
A Cop’s Best Friend
Tony Knox has been a police officer in Hyattsville for nine years. But he says it wasn’t until two years ago that he got to start working with his best friend. That friend is Ori, the three-year-old dog that is now senior among the Hyattsville Police Department’s canines. Another dog, Dino, is two, and the department has plans to add a third canine to its ranks soon. Ori lives in a kennel, owned by the city, in Knox’s back yard. It is the size of a tool-shed, and Knox says Ori jumps high into its rafters every morning. “It’s time to go to work! It’s time to go to work!” is what Knox believes is running through Ori’s mind when he approaches the kennel each day. But at work, Knox says Ori transforms from a cuddly lap-dog to a professional law officer. He can track suspects and missing people, find things hidden outside and in buildings, and sniff out drugs before he even enters a suspect’s vehicle. In fact, Knox said the first time Ori smelled drugs on the job, he leapt through a car window and put his nose right on the spot where the narcotics were hidden. Ori learned these skills during nearly five months of intense training with Knox. Now Knox can throw a ball for Ori but call him back before he retrieves it and Ori will obey. “The obedience and level of training is ridiculous,” Knox says proudly. This month, Hyattsville Police is planning to send a third officer and a new dog to K-9 training. When they return in the
Hyattsville’s Department of Public Works will spend two days helping you clean up your junk, for free! First, on Saturday, October 11, Public Works staff will drive every street in the city to pick up the oversize trash items you put on the curb the night before. They’ll pick up all sorts of things, including mattresses, furniture, grills, cabinets, empty paint cans, bathtubs, sinks and toilets. Then, on Saturday, October 25, the Department invites you to drop off all your old electronics for recycling. Between 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. you can bring to 4633 Arundel Place your used batteries, cameras, phones, electrical cords, computers, microwaves, toasters, televisions, and video game and music equipment. If you have questions about either event, contact James Perry at (240) 832-7937 or (301) 985-5032.
Spookyfest!
spring and become the third canine team on duty, it will be the most canines that department has ever had, Knox says. He’s looking forward to that, but also enjoying his daily work with Ori now. “Cops are people, too, and we have bad days,” Knox says. But working with Ori “makes a bad day a better day.”
Give Us Your Junk!
Do you have a closet so full of stuff you’re afraid to open it? Are you unable to remember the color of your garage floor? Do all the neighborhood cats hang out on the “antiques” in your back yard? If yes is your answer to any of these questions, you are in luck. In October, the City of
Halloween is just around the corner, and the City of Hyattsville is already planning our celebration for the youngest ghosts and goblins of our community. On October 25, the Community Services Department will host Spookyfest, our annual Halloween party for kids 12 and under and their families. This year the party will include a Monster Mash Dance, a Costume Contest, and Pumpkin Crafts. It will take place 1-3 p.m. at University Town Center, in the center court across from the Regal Royale 14 Theater. For more information, contact Cheri at 301985-5021.
Every Tuesday through October 28 October 14 – Knopp Farm SALE on fresh produce, FREE 10 minute massages from Shine Massage October 21 – Migue’s SALE of six mini-doughnuts and a beverage for $5, PUMPKINS for purchase October 28 – Last day of the market with FREE specials! 2 - 6 PM, 3505 Hamilton Street More information: Ellarose Preston, 301-985-5006, epreston@hyattsville.org
Creative Minds Parent & Child Program
Every Tuesday and Thursday through November 25 10 AM - 12 PM Magruder Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street More information: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395, tmartinez@hyattsville.org
Ageless Grace Exercise Classes
Every Wednesday and Friday through November 26 10 - 11AM, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Colleen Aistis, 301.985.5057, caistis@hyattsville.org
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
Mejor Amigo de Un Policía
Tony Knox tiene nueve años como un policía en Hyattsville. Pero dice que solo hace dos años tuvo la oportunidad de trabajar con su mejor amigo. Ese amigo es Ori, el perro de tres años que es el mayor de los perros de la Policía de Hyattsville. Otro perro, Dino, tiene dos años, y el departamento tiene planes a añadir otro perro pronto. Ori vive en una perrera, de la ciudad, en el patio de Knox. Es el tamaño de un cobertizo para herramientas, y Knox dice que Ori salta al techo cada mañana. “¡Es hora de trabajar! ¡Es hora de trabajar!” es lo que Knox piensa esta corriendo por la mente de Ori cuando se acerca la perrera cada dia. Pero en en trabajo, Knox dice que Ori cambia de un perro tierno a un agente de la ley professional. Puede seguir personas perdidas y sospechosas, encontrar cosas escondidas afuera y adentro de edificios, y oler drogas antes que entrar el vehiculo de una persona de sospecha. De hecho, Knox dice que la primera vez Ori olio drogas en el trabajo, saltó por la ventana de un vehiculo y puso su nariz exactamente donde estuvo escondido los narcoticos. Ori aprendió estos habilidades durante casi cinco meses de entrenamiento intenso con Knox y entrenadores profesionales. Ahora Knox puede tirar una pelota para Ori pero llamarle antes que la recoge y Ori obedecerá. “La obediencia y nivel de entrenamien-
cosas, incluyendo colchones, bases de cama, sillas, mesas, puertas, azadores, culumpios, gabinetes, latas vacias de pintura, televisores, carretas, baneras, lavamanos, y servicios de baño. Después, el sabado 25 de octubre, Obras Publicas les invita a dejar sus electronicos viejos para reciclar. Desde las 7:00 a.m. hasta la 1:00 p.m. pueden traer a 4633 Arundel Place todos sus pilas, camaras, telefonos, celulares, cables electricos, computadoras, monitores, teclados, computadoras portatiles, hornos microndas, tostadoras, hornos totadores, televisiones, juegos de video, consolas de video, y tocadiscos. Si tiene preguntas sobre los eventos, llame a (240) 832-7937 y podra hablar con James Perry, jefe del grupo de basura solida (El habla ingles) o pueden llamar al (301) 985-5032 a la oficina del departamento del basura y se le conseguira un traductor. to es ridiculoso,” dice Knox con orgullo. Este mes, la Policía de Hyattsville planea mandar un tercer agente y un perro nuevo a entrenamiento de K-9. Cuando regresen en la primavera serían el equipo canino tercero en servicio. Sería los más perros que el departamento ha tenido, dice Knox. Está ilusionado con eso, pero también disfrutando su trabajo diario con Ori ahora. “Policías son personas también, y tenemos días malas,” dice Knox. Pero trabajando con Ori “convierte un día malo en un día mejor.”
¡Danos su basura!
¡Festival Escalofriante!
¿Ud. tiene un closet tan lleno de cosas que tema en abrirlo? ¿No puede acordar el color del piso de su garaje? ¿Todos los gatos del barrio pasan el dia en los “antiguedades” en su patio? Si contest sí a cualquier de estas preguntas, tiene suerte. En octubre, el Departamento de Obras Publicas de la Ciudad de Hyattsville va a pasar dos dias ayudandole recoger su basura. ¡Y por gratis! Primero, el sabado, 11 de octubre, empleados de Obras Publicas van a manejar todas las calles de la ciudad para recoger las basuras grandes que ud. ponga en la curba la noche antes. Recogerán muchas
Halloween está acercandose y la Ciudad de Hyattsville ya está planeando nuestra celebración para los más joven fantasmas y monstruos de nuestra comunidad. El 25 de octubre, el Departamento de Servicios Comunitarios organizará el Festival Escalofriante, nuestra fiesta de Halloween para niños menores de 13 años y sus familias. Este año la fiesta incluirá un Baile de Monstruos, Concurso de Disfrazes, y Artesania con Calabazas. Será 1-3 p.m. en University Town Center, en la plaza central, frente del Teatro Regal Royale 14. Para más información, contacte a Cheri en 301-985-5021.
CALENDARIO
CALENDAR Hyattsville Farmers Market
No. 296 • 7 de octubre, 2014
Hyattsville Environment Committee
Hyattsville City Council Meeting
Mary Prangley Cleanup Day
Hyattsville Planning Committee
Wednesday, October 8, 7 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Jim Groves, 202-255-7593, jgroves4ward2@gmail.com Saturday, October 11 City-wide No car parts, paint, electronics or large appliances More information: Burgess Lee, 301-985-5088
Hyattsville Code Compliance Advisory Committee
Wednesday, October 15, 7 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Chris Giunta, 301-985-5017, cgiunta@hyattsville.org
Invasive Plant Removal
Saturday, October 18, 9 AM - 1 PM Magruder Woods, 3911 Hamilton Street More information: 301-985-5057
Monday, October 20, 8 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org Tuesday, October 21, 7:30 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street
Electronics Recycling Day
Saturday, October 25, 9 AM - 1 PM Department of Public Works, 4633 Arundel Place More information: Burgess Lee, 301-985-5088
Spookyfest Halloween Party
Saturday, October 25, 1 - 3 pm University Town Center - Center Court (across from Regal Royale 14 Theater) www.hyattsville.org/spookyfest
Mercado de Agricultores de Hyattsville
Cada martes hasta el 28 de octubre 14 de octubre – Knopp Farm PROMOCION en verduras frescas; masages de 10 minutos GRATIS con Shine Massage 21 de octubre – Migue’s PROMOCION de seis donasmini y una bebida para $5; se vende CALABAZAS! 28 de octubre – Ultimo día del Mercado con especiales GRATIS! 2 - 6 PM, 3505 Hamilton Street Más información: Ellarose Preston, 301-985-5006 o epreston@hyattsville.org
Mentes Creativas Programa de Papás e Hijos
Cada martes y jueves hasta el 25 de noviembre 10 AM - 12 PM, 3911 Hamilton Street. El Centro Recreativo de Magruder Más información: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395 o tmartinez@hyattsville.org
Gracia sin Edad Clases de Ejercicio
Cada miércoles y viernes hasta el 26 de noviembre 10 - 11 AM, 4310 Gallatin Street Más información: Colleen Aistis, 301.985.5057 o caistis@hyattsville.org
Comité del Medioambiente de Hyattsville
Miércoles, 8 de octubre, 7 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Jim Groves, 202-255-7593, jgroves4ward2@gmail.com
Dia de Limpieza Mary Prangley
Sábado, 11 de octubre Toda la Ciudad No partes vehiculares, pinta, electronicos o electrodomésticos grandes Más información: Burgess Lee, 301-985-5088
Comité de Cumplimiento de Codigos de Hyattsville
Miércoles, 15 de octubre, 7 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Chris Giunta, 301-985-5017, cgiunta@hyattsville.org
Eliminación de Planta Invasivas
Sábado, 18 de octubre, 9 AM - 1 PM Bosque Magruder, 3911 Hamilton Street Más información: 301-985-5057
Reunion del Consejo Municipal de Hyattsville
Lunes, 20 de octubre, 8 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org
Comité de Planeación de Hyattsville
Martes, 21 de octubre, 7:30 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin
Dia de Reciclaje de Electronicos
Sabado, 25 de octubre, 9 AM - 1 PM Departamento de Obras Publicas, 4633 Arundel Place Más información: Burgess Lee, 301-985-5088
Festival Cscalofriante de Halloween
Sábado, 25 de octubre, 1 - 3 PM University Town Center - Center Court (frente de Regal Royale 14 Theater) www.hyattsville.org/spookyfest
Page 8
Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
Helping Sell Hyattsville
And our Neighboring Community
FOR SALE
Recent Activity & Sales:
REDUCED
Ann Barrett, Realtor®
4010 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville Sold for $317,000
4116 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville Absolutely charming 5 bedroom, 2 bath bungalow. Beautiful oak and pine floors shine! Gracious front porch & 2 car garage! Listed for $340,000
UNDER CONTRACT
5600 36th Place, Hyattsville Sold for $300,000
6005 43rd Street, Hyattsville Wonderful Cape Cod with 3 BRs/3Baths. Open kitchen, wood floors, fireplace & gracious deck. Listed for $300,000
UNDER CONTRACT
2601 Muskogee St., Adelphi Sold for $292,000 6123 41st Ave, Hyattsville Sold for $140,000
5705 41st Ave, Hyattsville Classic 1924 Bungalow - lovingly renovated. Vaulted ceilings & skylights! Gourmet kitchen & lots of clever storage! Office w/ 3 sides of windows! Rear deck & private yard ~ hot tub! Zen-loft! Just Charming! $330,000
4209 Kennedy Street, Hyattsville Lovely Bungalow - 4 bedrooms, 2 baths + a den! Spacious kitchen with a wall of windows! Listed for $325,000
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. 9094 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, MD 20740
cell: 240-938-6060 office: 301-441-9511 ext. 261
email: ann.barrett@ longandfoster.com web: ANNBARRETT.LNF.COM
5805 30th Ave, Hyattsville Sold for $240,000
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rebecca bennett Police investigate a bicyclist struck crossing East West Highway on September 11.
PEDESTRIAN
continued from page 1
at the intersection of Riverdale Road and Kenilworth Avenue in Riverdale. The incident left her daughter fighting for her life. A flashing sign now warns eastbound drivers to slow down for pedestrians. Days later, a month after being struck on University Boulevard near Riggs Road, 30-year-old Fredy Gonzalez Hernandez succombed to his injuries. Police say Hernandez was not in a crosswalk when he was struck August 9. After her near-miss, Condayan decided to do something about what she felt was a dangerous intersection. She wrote to the Hyattsville City Council, the City mayor, the MDSHA, and the Hyattsville moms listserv. In her letter to the City Council, the frightened Condayan said, “I…wanted you to be aware of what happened and what could happen to any one of us or our children. My son was inches away from me, but also inches away from the speeding car.” Hyattsville’s Director of Public Works, Lesley Riddle, said, “City staff is very concerned by Ms. Condayan’s experience. Members of the City staff and
Council members recently drove the area to discuss traffic calming options.” Councilmembers said the City would like MDSHA to install a left turn signal southbound at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Jefferson Street. Currently, drivers turning into the Arts District retail development must yield to oncoming traffic. The changes might not be so easy to implement. David Buck, spokesperson for MDSHA, said the agency has, “studied the possibility of adding the SB leftturn signal phasing and based on prior studies, it was not warranted.” In addition to the left turn signal, Buck said others have asked for a fourth crosswalk to be added on the north side of Baltimore Avenue at the same intersection. “Engineers are initiating a new (90 day) study based on the latest questions and expect to have additional answers ... by the end of the year,” MDSHA said in a statement. Condayan encourages those concerned about pedestrian safety to speak at the next Hyattsville City Council meeting and to fill out an online request for service with the MDSHA.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
Page 9
COMMUNITY CALENDAR October 10
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, students at University Park Elementary School will host a Hispanic Festival including food and musical performances. 6-8 p.m. 4315 Underwood Street, University Park. 301.985.1898.
to photograph climate change. The Hyattville Library’s Independent Film Series will show “Chasing Ice” (2013), which will include a facilitated discussion after the screening. Refreshments provided. Free. 7 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
November 1
October 13
October 25
It’s not often than Riversdale House Museum encourages after-dark strolls on the grounds. But tonight’s A Gothick Evening: Saint and Sinners does just that, complete with selected readings from 19th century saints and sinners. End the evening with cider by the fire. Open to ages 12 and up. 4811 Riverdale Road. $10; advance payment required. 1:30 p.m. 301.864.0420.
The Hyattville Library will Celebrate Hispanic Heritage with stories, music and a craft activity. Snacks served. Free. October 13 at 7 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
October 14
After local residents came together for a community design charrette (see story, p. 1), the Prince George’s Planning Department presents the long term Preferred Concept Plan for the Prince George’s Plaza Metro. Presentation at 6:30 p.m. Prince George’s Plaza Community Center, 6600 Adelphi Rd. 301.864.1611.
October 18
It’s time to get your hands dirty and volunteer to help with with non-native invasive plant removal in the woods at Magruder Park. Dress for the elements. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Park entrance located at 40th Avenue and Hamilton Street. 301.985.5057.
October 20
In 2005, James Balog went to the Arctic
The Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department’s Fire Safety Day is displaced this year due to construction of the new fire house. Stop by the Mall at Prince George’s from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with plenty of children’s activities near the center court inside and Macy’s outside including a Kid’s Fire Safety Adventure Course. 3500 East West Highway. 301.559.8844. Give those Halloween costumes a trial run at the annual city-sponsored Spookyfest, featuring costume contests, a Monster Mash Dance Party and other family fun. Free. 1 to 3 p.m. In the courtyard of University Town Center, America Boulevard and East-West Highway. 301.985.5021.
October 28
Last call for the Hyattsville Farmer’s Market, which closes for the season today. In the parking lot of 3505 Hamilton Street, adjacent to Bestway and across from the Hyattsville Community Garden. Tuesdays, 2 to 6 p.m. 301.985.5000.
Kids can learn the basics of working with their hands during a “How to Build a Pallet Coaster” workshop as a part of the Home Depot do-it-yourself series. Free, but registration required. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 3301 East West Highway. 301.891.1106.
Ongoing
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. Through October, Anacostia River Boat Tours are held Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 12:45. All ages are welcome to join a park naturalist on a pontoon boat to search for birds and other wildlife. Evening rides will be held on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 5 p.m. Free; registration required for groups of 12 or more. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 An-
napolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371. The Prince George’s County Audubon society and the Patuxent Bird Club team up to host an early evening guided bird walk along the Luther Goldman Birding Trail at Lake Artemesia. Walks are held every first and third Thursday at 6 p.m. and start at the lake parking lot at Berwyn Road and Ballew Avenue. Free. 301.459.3375. The newly revamped “Creative Minds” Parent-Child Program meets at the Magruder Park Recreation Center for ageappropriate activities, art, and exercise. The fall session is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12.p.m. until November 25. $50 for fall session. Park entrance located at 40th Avenue and Hamilton Street. 301.985.5065. Rise + Rhyme kicks off the week for the 5-and-under set with storytelling and more. $5 per child. Monday mornings from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Zinn Room, Busboys & Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue. 301.779.2787. 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 rebecca@ hyattsvillelife.com or mail to P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for November submissions is October 23.
Page 10
Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
DeMatha student honored as National Merit Semifinalist by Jake Eisenberg
His name is John-Paul Teti, but his friends call him “JP.” The 17-year-old DeMatha Catholic High School senior and Hyattsville resident was recently named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist as a result of his high score on the Practice Student Aptitude Test (PSAT). The cutoff for the state of Maryland was 221 out of 240, the fifth-highest cutoff in the nation. Teti scored a 222, equivalent to a 2200 on the Student Aptitude Test (SAT). Approximately 16,000 of the 1.4 million students who take the test nationally are notified that they are semifinalists. In February, about 15,000 will qualify as finalists, with approximately 7,600 of the finalists receiving Merit Scholarships. The next step is to complete a detailed scholarship application, which includes, among other things, an academic record, community activities and honors. “Being a National Merit SemiFinalist is an honor and a rewarding recognition of my work and effort,” said Teti. Teti has three younger siblings: Rachel, 15, Joseph, 13, and
Life’s too
jake eisenberg John-Paul Teti’s passion for computer science led him to create his own iPhone application.
Lincoln, 10. He also mentors elementary school children, tutoring them in various subjects at St. Jerome Academy, and volunteers at St. Jerome Church as an altar server. His schedule is filled with Advanced Placement (AP) classes—Calculus BC, Physics C, Government and Literature— leading to larger and more difficult amounts of homework. He
also sings baritone in the school’s chorus and is the captain of the the Academic Quiz Bowl team. However, his true passion lies in computer science. Around the age of seven, he happened upon a book about HTML coding in the school library at St. Jerome Academy and was instantly hooked. “I have no idea why I took that book out. I had no idea what it meant and didn’t understand
most of it, said Teti. “I was looking through it and said, ‘Oh, this is cool, I sort of get this.’” Near the end of 7th grade, teachers began to recognize his affinity for computers and would occasionally ask him for IT help. That summer, he wrote a fledgling grade-counting website. “I wouldn’t say I was great at it,
but it doesn’t take being great— you just need to be a little bit better than everyone else,” he said. Toward the end of his sophomore year, he began developing his first iPhone application. Teti wanted to keep track of his grades with an application, but could not find one that fit his need on the App Store. It was then that he taught himself the iOS coding language, Operation C, and built his first app, called “Studies.” “I decided to do it myself. It seemed like a simple thing to do and I wanted to learn anyway,” he said. This fall, like most other seniors in high school, Teti will be applying to colleges, looking specifically for a school with a good computer science program. One day, he hopes to use his computer skills to ease the daily lives of the people around him. “I’d like to find some sort of really interesting problem that can be solved with computers, iPhones—all this new technology we have—and put together the thing that solves it for people,” he said.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
Page 11
MissFloribunda Dear Miss Floribunda, Of late you have been raising my consciousness about the dangers of certain invasive volunteer plants and I wonder if I am wrong to tolerate a number of weeds because I think they are pretty. I recognize the goldenrod, the purple thistles that bring beautiful gold finches to my garden, the Queen Anne’s Lace and tiny wild asters, none of which seem to me to be a problem. However, I’m not sure about a grass with long stems that look as if they are covered with lots of little pink beads. It dries very well for winter bouquets. The leaves have a flavor a bit like sorrel and the stems actually taste a lot like rhubarb. This plant is very attractive to butterflies but it does spread. Do you know what it is and if it is a menace? Another interloper I can’t identify is a little three-petaled flower of a wonderful morning-glory blue, very low growing. The stems taste like celery and the leaves a bit more peppery. Bees go for this one. Then there is another plant that at first I mistook for garlic mustard, which
I know is a pest. This weed is much more attractive and when I tasted the leaves they didn’t have any garlic taste. Its fuzzy white flowers resemble those of ageratum. It will take over if I don’t thin it out quite a bit. However, because the butterflies and I love it I am hoping you will give it a pass. Nibbler on Nicholson Street Dear Nibbler, First of all, I beg you to be careful what you bite into. The plant that resembles ageratum is indeed of the same family (Asteracae) and tribe (Eupatoreae) that ageratum comes from, and some of these are poisonous. The pink-beaded one is from the Polygonaceae family, which is known to cause rashes in sensitive people. This time you nibbled with impunity, unless you are writing from another dimension, but next time you might get a stomach upset or worse. Odor as well as taste can help identify plants. You might crush their leaves in your hand in order to release their fragrance,
The Asiatic dayflower is categorized as “occasionally invasive.”
perhaps wearing gloves for good measure. I have seen the fuzzy white wild flower (not weed) in my own garden and in adjoining alley ways. It is generally called late-flowering boneset and is a medicinal plant used by Native Americans as a cure for flu — not to set bones. At first I thought it might be the white-mist flower I admired when visiting my Cousin Kickapoo in Texas, and it is a related eupatoreum, but it blooms earlier and is limited in range to the Southwest. I seriously doubt
that anyone would have taken the trouble to rustle it up here. Both are great butterfly favorites not seriously difficult to control. The pink beaded plant is pink knotweed, aka smartweed. It also has medicinal uses, ranging from use as a foot soak to an attempted cure for cholera. On a recent visit to the Jardin des Plantes in Paris with my friend Mlle. Noisette I was surprised to see it in the “simples” section devoted to useful herbs. A little research revealed it to be native to Europe and invasive here. Like the ranunculus
that became the buttercup, it took advantage of the freedom of the New World to escape from cultivated beds to frolic in the wild. Its saving grace is that it is an annual, and because you pick the flowers to dry for winter use before they go to seed, you should be able to keep it under control. The prostrate plant with the beautiful blue blooms is from the Commelina family, known here as the Asiatic dayflower, and of course it comes from Asia. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has categorized it as “occasionally invasive.” It is used as a dye in Japan and for medicine in China, supposedly very good for sore throats. I would still be cautious, though, and not make tea from it. To talk with other plant lovers and to perhaps acquire some new plants, come to the next meeting and autumn plant exchange of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society. It will take place on Saturday, October 18, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the home of Joe Buriel and Dave Roeder, 3909 Longfellow Street.
Spookyfest Halloween Party Saturday, October 25, 1 - 3 pm
Monster Mash Dance Party, Costume Contest University Town Center - Center Court (across from Regal Royale 14 Theater)
Festival escalofriante de Halloween Sábado, 25 de octubre, 1 - 3 PM Fiesta de Baile, Concurso de Disfrazes University Town Center - Center Court (frente de Regal Royale 14 Theater)
www.hyattsville.org/ spookyfest
Page 12
Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
charrette
continued from page 1
safety to ways in which green space could be incorporated. Participants were also polled on their current use of the area. Questions included how often they shopped in the mall, how they traveled to the metro, and whether they felt safe when in the area. Studies prior to the charrette
found that 64 percent of mall visitors drove and safety in the affected area to be lacking. Polling was also conducted during the meeting, with results posted immediately. Of the polled participants, 30 percent were not from around the affected area, while 26 percent said they owned property in the affected zone. Only 40 percent of participants lived in Hyattsville. After the charrette kick-off
meeting and a drop-in suggestion day, the planning department presented potential plan alternatives on September 20. “We think it’s really important the area begins to change in the near term,” Cheryl O’Neill, one of the consultants working on the plan update, said as she presented the proposed concept. The planning department said County priorities include adding a second Metro entrance on the opposite side of the platform that would lead into green space between the Metro and the Mall at Prince George’s. The updated concept plan also includes tree-lined pathways, green courtyards, and green roofs throughout the parking lot of the Mall to address current storm water management issues. O’Neill said these changes “set forth a pattern of development that makes sense.” From there, planners hope to see development on the Mall site, including a medium-scale residential building mimicking the Post Park and Mosaic apartments with retail space in the bottom. Planners believe these initial
changes will help transform the area around the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station into a viable “downtown.” The 30-year concept plan went even further to include a fully-developed Mall site and tree-lined pathways all through the transit district. They envision the Mall’s
Planners believe these initial changes will help transform the area around the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station into a viable “downtown.”
existing covered walkways being an important part of connecting foot traffic around the Mall. A pedestrian street between the Mall and the adjacent University Town Center (UTC) is in the plan, as are connective paths to northern isolated areas of the transit district. Planners indicated they would like to see the community center
moved to the southwest parking lot of UTC, closer to the Metro. The planning department additionally sees some kind of public recreational or entertainment center taking root north of the Mall, as well as rain gardens and a bioretention facility to address storm water management in the area. Planners also want to make East West Highway safer to navigate. Karina Ricks from Nelson Nygaard, the national transportation consulting firm working on the project, said buffered bike lanes were a cheap, quick fix that would narrow streets, slow traffic, and change character in the corridor. Additionally, Ricks suggested three new stop lights in front of the Mall, including the light at Editor’s Park, near the pedestrian bridge, and in front of University Town Center could operate without decreasing overall time it takes cars to travel through the area. The planning department will present a refined plan to the public on October 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Prince George’s Plaza Community Center.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | October 2014
WELCH
continued from page 1
New developments in the case came in February, when the FBI and Montgomery County Police named Lloyd Lee Welch, 57, a person of interest. Witnesses said they saw Lloyd talking to the young girls at the mall. A convicted sex offender who grew up in Hyattsville, Lloyd has been incarcerated in Delaware since 1997 after pleading guilty to abusing his girlfriend’s 10-year-old daughter. He is scheduled for release in 2026. Now police suspect that his uncle, Richard Welch, said to be in his 70s, was working as a security guard in or near the mall when the girls disappeared. “We encourage people with any information regarding Mr. Welch’s employment at that time to contact law enforcement as soon as possible,� said Russ Hamill, assistant chief of Montgomery County Police. The news came two weeks after investigators searched Richard and Patricia Welch’s home in the 4900 block of 41st Place. On September 18, Hyattsville police officers closed the normally quiet street to traffic as Montgomery County detectives searched the singlestory white clapboard house, telling bystanders only that the activity was related to a cold case. One neighbor said that during the raid, a woman claiming to be the daughter of one of the Welches approached her and said, “We’re not bad people. Don’t think we’re bad people.� The Welches sat on a swing in the front yard as the law enforcement officials, most in plainclothes, streamed in and out of the house. The couple had no comment for report-
Page 13
ers, and efforts to reach them afterwards were unsuccessful. A much broader search occurred on Taylor’s Mountain in Thaxton, Va., where property records show that Richard and other Welch family members have owned land. Officers from both jurisdictions scoured the area for days in September and believe they are close to solving the case. There is “a good chance the girls are on this mountain,� said Hamill. At a press conference the day before the Hyattsville search, Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Randy Krantz said, “We know who was responsible. Each and every one of them.� Capt. Darren Francke, director of the Montgomery County Police Department’s major crimes division, added that the list of those being investigated “includes Lloyd Welch and family members.� Three generations of the family lived in Hyattsville at the time, with other branches of the family in Delaware, Virginia and Tennessee. Lloyd’s stepmother, Alyene Welch, lives in Tennessee. Reached by telephone, she told the HL&T, “My husband [Lloyd Sr.] drank a lot and we had fights a lot, policemen come to my door a lot and that’s not no more than any other family.� On October 3, a multijurisdictional grand jury started deliberations in Bedford, Va., to determine what charges, if any, will be filed. At the time the Lyon sisters disappeared, Lloyd Lee Welch was 18 and living in the 4700 block of Baltimore Avenue. Neighbor Connie Gasch said she didn’t know him — “I don’t know that the family had much
interaction with anybody� — but recalls seeing him “walk up and down the street on quite a few occasions. It seems like he did not have a car or if he did he didn’t use it much.� When Lloyd was named a person of interest, the FBI released a list of his known whereabouts from the time of the disappearance to his incarceration in 1997 in hopes that other victims might come forward. “I believe we’ll get to the bottom of where many crimes occurred by the end of the investigation,� said Hamill at the October 2 press conference. “The two little girls are the main victims, but there’s many other victims involved here.� Authorities have asked that anyone with information about either Lloyd or Richard Welch to call the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division at 240.773.5070. With reporting by Chris Currie and Caroline Selle
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