VOTING AGE DEBATE
LIGHTS OUT!
NETWORKING
Should 16 and 17-year olds be able to vote in city elections? Hyattsville councilmembers are discussing next steps. PAGE 2
Broken lights mean one city street is dark. Prince George’s County says it is working to resolve the issue. READ MORE ON PAGE 3
It all began at a bus stop. Now, residents gather on a monthly basis to meet other locals with unique skills. PAGE 4
Facilities assessment may fill two needs with one deed by Andrew Marder
On Nov. 3, Assistant City Administrator Jim Chandler presented a proposal on the city’s facilities to the Hyattsville City Council. The plan, based on the results of a 2011 study, recommends shifting some of the city’s departments to underutilized spaces, making improvements to existing locations, and putting some buildings up for sale or lease. The proposal covers five properties — the Magruder Park recreational building, the Hyattsville Municipal Building (4310 Gallatin Street), former BB&T building (3505 Hamilton Street), the Arcade Building (4318 Gallatin Street), and the Department of Public Works operations yard. The cost of the program is estimated at $9.8 million over the next 20 years. Based on the 2011 study, Chandler said the city is projecting a short-term need of 54,547 square feet of office space. The city’s current setup only allows for 33,326 square feet of space, which leaves a shortfall of over 21,000 square feet, according to the facilities presentation. Long-term, the
Hyattsville Life&Times
Vol. 11 No. 12
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
Traffic, pedestrian improvements coming to Queens Chapel Road by Rebecca Bennett
Cement barriers are already up in multiple stretches of what the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is calling a $10.6 million “streetscape” project along Queens Chapel Road (MD 500). “Currently, 23,550 vehicles travel this section of Queens Chapel Road each day, with traffic projected to increase to 31,200 vehi-
cles per day by 2030,” SHA said in a November press release. In the Community Safety and Enhancement Project, which spans Queens Chapel Road between Hamilton Street and East West Highway, SHA promises a number of improvements to address vehicle traffic and pedestrian safety. SHA said the project will convert the existing painted strips into grassy medians with landscaping.
Pedestrian safety enhancements will include sidewalk and crosswalk improvements, as well as the installation of audible pedestrian signals. There will be an estimated $343,000 spent on lighting improvements, and bike lanes are to be installed outside of the traffic lanes, which is in accordance with SHA’s Policy for Accommodating Bicycles and Pedestrians QUEENS CHAPEL continued on page 12
New arts incubator space mixes music, visual arts by Scarlett Salem
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID EASTON MD PERMIT NO. 43
FACILITIES continued on page 12
Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
DECEMBER 2014
REBECCA BENNETT Just Rock Enterprises just moved to Farragut Street with more space to provide music lessons and rent offices to artists of various mediums.
Though the visual arts receive a lot of attention in the Arts District, music is poised to launch into the area’s spotlight. Local alternative music boutique Just Rock Enterprises ( JRE) is leading the charge. Now headquartered out of their 2nd floor studio on Farragut Street in Hyattsville, JRE was founded in 2010 by the store’s current president, Shelita Wright, after she moved to the Washington, D.C., area from New York City. Wright, a singer and performing artist with recording and off-Broadway experience, said she ran the business by herself for a year before bringing in other instructors in 2011 to teach piano and guitar. The business is rapidly expanding: along with their Hyattsville space, JRE also has satellite studios (or spaces they rent) in Houston, Dallas, and New York City, all set up through what Wright attributes to her relationships and connections. Today, about five instructors work out of their Farragut Street space, with ROCK continued on page 13
Included: The December 10, 2014 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section
Page 2
Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
FromTheEditor
Staying local for the holidays by Caroline Selle
When Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot stopped by in early December to tour some of Hyattsville’s small businesses, he said something I just couldn’t get out of my head. “I’m a proud resident of Takoma Park,” he told me, “but we seem to always be copying Hyattsville.” Takoma Park, he pointed out, is about to get it’s own Busboys and Poets, and it still doesn’t have a brewery like Franklins.
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 Editor and Web Manager Rebecca Bennett Digital Archives Manager Susie Currie susie@hyattsvillelife.com 301.633.9209 Copy Editors Sean Bennett, Kate Davison Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234 Writers & Contributors Gretchen Brodtman, Katy JuneFriesen, Julia Gaspar-Bates, Lauren Kelly, Andrew Marder, Gray O’Dwyer, Kit Slack,Scarlett Salem, Fred Seitz, Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President Caroline Selle - Secretary Peggy Dee, Karen J. Riley, Rosanna Landis Weaver, Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter Ross Rebecca Bennett - 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.
His comment got me thinking. I’ve lived in both cities, and when I reflect on them, I tend to think about each of their unique charms. It’s all about the small businesses — the unique storefronts, the counters manned by friendly neighborhood faces, the carefully sourced and frequently handmade goods one can’t find anywhere else. We’ve profiled many of the city’s small businesses in these pages, and in the coming months we hope to highlight many more. Meanwhile, I’m about to start my holiday shopping. And in the interest of supporting my town and my neighbors, I’m making an almost-New-Year’s resolution to shop local for the rest of the season. (Come Jan. 1, feel free to check back in. I have a feeling it’s also going to be a resolution for the new year.) Will you join me? While, yes, there are some things that can’t be purchased within the city limits, in Hyattsville we boast enough different stores to find something for everyone. With our walkable streets, it’s easy to stop in and chat with the store owners. Many of us frequent the Arts District; why not branch out and walk down Hamilton Street? Or check out one of the community-run
REBECCA BENNETT Carolers spread holiday cheer at annual Hyattsville Christmas tree lighting in Magruder Park on Dec. 5.
listservs: quite a few locals sell handmade items out of their homes. There are many benefits to staying near home for purchases. For one, more of the money spent stays in the community. According to an article in U.S. News and World Report, “Shopping at locally owned establishments can leverage community funds times three, on average. For example, by supporting a local clothing
boutique, a consumer is also supporting a local attorney, tax preparer, and printer.” I’ve thought of one more benefit. No shipping! While Amazon Prime rescues me on a frequent basis, when it comes to holiday gifts, I have enough time to spend a Saturday afternoon popping in and out of local storefronts. Let’s celebrate the holidays near home.
Speaking of which... The holiday season is always hectic, and over here at the Hyattsville Life & Times, it’s no different! Who knew one small town could hold so many different end-of-season events? As the local media, we want to attend each and every one, but unfortunately for us — and fortunately for the community — there are too many to cover in person. Our editor and web manager, Rebecca Bennett, has been busy pulling together a comprehensive calendar of all of the local events, featuring everything from small businesses’ sales to community performances. Family movie night, the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department’s Santa Run, the Claus Applause decorating contest … well, you get the picture. There are too many to name here, so head on over to www. HyattsvilleLife.com and search “activity” for the full list. (Don’t see your event? Email us: tips@ hyattsvillelife.com.) Still, we could use your help. Have a great photo you’d like to see featured? Want to write up a blurb about your local church’s food drive? Send it on over. We’re always looking for writers and photographers, because it’s your input that makes the paper a true source of community news.
Council discusses voting age, may look to voters By Rebecca Bennett
At the Dec. 1 Hyattsville City Council meeting, councilmembers continued a discussion on whether the city should lower the voting age to include 16 and 17-year-olds. The amendment’s sponsor, Councilmember Patrick Pascall (Ward 3), made several arguments in favor of lowering the city’s voting age. “I think we should be listening to the residents who are driving cars on our streets when we have jurisdiction over roads. Who are victims of crime, just like 18 and older folks, and accessing police services.” Paschall also provided information to the council as to voter turnout among 16 and 17-year-olds in some other jurisdictions, as well as studies on the ability of youth to make quality decisions. “[The 2012 Austrian study] found that their 16 and 17-year-olds were casting level of competence votes similar to 18-year-olds, and in some cases, more competent,” Paschall said. Councilmember Shani Warner (Ward 2) said, “[There are] 16-year-olds in our community who [are] capable of engaging in this process with as much seriousness and thoughtful-
ness as any of us would have hoped for.” “Unlike many of the concerns we talk about that have an impact for a year or a week, this is really a transformation of our culture,” Warner said. Councilmember Robert Croslin (Ward 2) said he wanted the issue added as a referendum on an upcoming ballot. “I want for everyone to have the opportunity to weigh in,” he said, citing concern with the level of participation at public hearings. “When you are talking about changing the body of the electorate, I think that is a decision that does belong in the hands of the electorate,” Councilmember Tim Hunt (Ward 3) said in favor of a voting age referendum. Council President Candace Hollingsworth (Ward 1) said she supports lowering the voting age, but doesn’t see the harm in putting it on the ballot. “Students said to me, What difference does it make if we understand this stuff, we can’t even vote?” said Bill Bystricky, a former high school government teacher. “Of course, I knew that a few years later, the same individuals would be saying, Why should I vote, when I can’t really understand this stuff ?” “Getting them involved at younger ages will
help establish a lifetime of civic engagement,” resident Shannon Wyss said in a statement in support of lowering the voting age, which was read by a councilmember. “For those who are concerned teenagers are too immature to vote, I would like to pose that we adults don’t exactly have a great track record,” Wyss wrote, arguing that some adults use campaign signs, ads, and party affiliation to make decisions at the polls. “Surely, a teenager cannot do any worse than that.” A 37th Avenue resident said he supported the measure being added to the ballot, even though he was opposed to it. “I think 16 and 17-year-olds are already a part of the process. They can lobby their parents. They do that, and they do it quite well.” Mayor Marc Tartaro confirmed with City Clerk Laura Reams that the council must decide to put the referendum on the ballot at least 120 days before the upcoming May election. First, eight councilmembers must vote in favor of a referendum resolution by the Jan. 5 council meeting. The council voted to schedule a public hearing on this topic for Jan. 5 at 7:45 p.m. at the Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street.
Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
Page 3
City lighting: a continuous work in progress By Rebecca Bennett
The Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T) said they are working to resolve issues with street lamps on Belcrest Road between Adelphi Road and the Mall at Prince Georges. “A major challenge with the high voltage lighting system is that it is old and requires breakers to be fixed and the underground wiring to be rewired each time a light is hit or goes out,” a DPW&T spokesperson said. “Another issue is that the lights are wired in series so if one light in the series is broken or out, the others are affected.” This issue was also highlighted at the Nov. 18 Hyattsville City Planning Committee meeting, where the Belcrest Road lighting problem was compared to Christmas lights: when one light goes out, they all go out. Councilmember Tim Hunt (Ward 3) said quite a few of the lights were out on Belcrest Road in September, but the county allegedly had most of them working in October. “Then all the lights went dark,” Hunt said. “The main issue is I don’t think the county is taking the issue seriously enough.” DPW&T said they have been making repairs as lights have gone out, but a long term fix is more complicated. New poles and light fixtures need to be installed, DPW&T said, which will need to be further away from the curb.
caroline selle Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation said it is making repairs as lights go out on Belcrest Road and a permanent fix is planned.
A department spokesperson said, “We will continue to monitor and repair the lighting system until a permanent solution is implemented.” “I use Belcrest Road regularly, mostly to bike to the library or to the Metro station. I’m glad the lights are back on one side of the
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road, and look forward to seeing them on the other side,” Hyattsville resident David Inouye said. Several bodies are responsible for maintaining street lights in the City of Hyattsville. City staff said Hyattsville only maintains approximately 10 percent of the street lights in the city. “Pepco maintains the majority of lights in the City, and usually fixes them within a few days of a report. The County fixes broken lights as they can,” a city spokesperson said. There are several future lighting projects being discussed.
The city is currently conducting a lighting study in West Hyattsville, and the city said it is accepting proposals for lighting in Hyatt Park. The county is exploring lighting upgrades where Ager Road, Hamilton Road and Queens Chapel Road come together, according to city staff. Although new development may indicate progress, University Hills resident Emily Palus remains cautious and skeptical, “because it doesn’t appear that it will be maintained.” But not everyone thinks more light is necessarily the best solution.
“The idea that more light always results in better safety and security is a myth,” the International Dark Sky Association said in its guidelines for small communities, urban neighborhoods, and subdivisions. “One needs only the right amount of light, in the right place, at the right time. More light often means wasted light and energy.” When preserving the night sky was brought up at the Nov. 18 city planning meeting, William Washburn of the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission spoke about new considerations. “There are modern specs for street lighting that require … the design to where the [light is] cut off and directed to the ground,” he said. Along with ambient dark-sky lighting focused downward, “[lighting] can also be layered, to focus on lower levels,” a city spokesperson said. “This type of lighting illuminates less of the surrounding area, and protects the privacy of and does not bother residents who may not want light coming in their windows all night.” One Mayland county handles light pollution in a different way. Residents in Baltimore County can apply for shades on street lights near their homes and pay $150 each to have them installed, according to the county’s website. As for the upcoming MD 500 lighting improvements, the City of Hyattsville said SHA’s plan includes an increased wattage where lighting engineers determined it was needed. “They will also add pedestrian lighting throughout the project area, but especially by Belcrest Road, East-West Highway and MD 500,” the city said.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
Career connecting in Hyattsville By Gretchen Brodtman
The idea for the Hyattsville Professional Networking Group was born at the bus stop, according to the group’s founder, Julia Gaspar-Bates. She said she was talking to another parent while waiting for her daughter’s school bus and was struck by how many people with interesting careers and businesses there were right in the neighborhood. She herself runs a consulting business, Intercultural Alliances, which provides international, cross-cultural
training, project management, and global team building. Thus the Hyattsville Professional Networking Group was formed. Members now meet the second Sunday of each month at the Hyattsville Municipal Building on Gallatin Street. The meetings attract entrepreneurs and job seekers alike, with each meeting comprising a networking meet-and-greet session followed by a workshop or presentation by a different member of the group. Gaspar-Bates said she hopes to have presentations that
are interesting and beneficial to the community. “There were so many groups [in the community] supporting each other. Why not provide a venue for people to branch out in [another professional] direction?” GasparBates said. One of the group’s members, Hyattsville resident of 12 years Jan Sanders, shared details of her career start in film and television. Back in 1992, Sanders said her husband Don was getting a masters in film at American University and Sand-
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ers, who had been laid off from an arts job, was working on a “pay deferred” student film. Of these early projects, Sanders said, “[I] met the regulars [and] one job leads to another. I still work with guys I met on that first film. [I] have not had a business card since 1998.” Sanders said she read Pat Miller’s book Script Supervising and Film Continuity and has been doing that work ever since. She also attended the prestigious Maine Media Workshop in Rockport and was able to join the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts Union, which she said allowed her to work on major motion pictures and television. Sanders had the chance to work on Netflix’s House of Cards and HBO’s The Wire. Sanders said she has great memories of working with director Steven Frears and actress Judi Dench on the 2013 film Philomena. She also recalled trying days working on The Wire that entailed spending 15 to 17 hours in extreme high and low temperatures in some of Baltimore’s worst neighborhoods. Another 12-year resident, Liberty Rucker, said she has been teaching violin and fiddle to children for approximately 20 years. She had also been an avid hobby gardener for many of those years, and in 2011 she decided to go into a new career in landscape design. According to Rucker, she completed the George Washington University Master’s Program in Landscape Design in 2013 and now has a newly formed landscaping busi-
liberty rucker A tree carved as a pagoda with a chainsaw located on 41st Avenue. Rucker said she consulted on this garden and made the suggestion to carve the tree trunk rather than remove it entirely.
ness, Wonderland Garden Design. She said her company specializes in child-friendly gardens, and she is currently working on a plan for a school garden in Washington, D.C. When Rucker gave a presentation to the Hyattsville Professional Networking Group, she was excited about the potential for collaboration with other group members. “I was thrilled to meet a mosaic artist,” she said, “I am likely to need his expertise sometime in the future and it’s great to have a local contact for that skill.” The Hyattsville Professional Networking group will meet on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Hyattsville Municipal Building. If you or anyone you know in Hyattsville has a business or is a professional who can be of service or interest to the community and would like to speak or present a workshop for group, please contact Julia Gaspar-Bates at 301.356.4230 or jagsatori@hotmail.com.
Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
Page 5
Big Bad Woof adds delivery service by Jake Eisenberg and Marcel Warfield
At the Big Bad Woof pet store in Hyattsville, where dog bowls line the walls and the air is filled with smooth jazz and the smell of puppies, visitors can shop for organic pet food and environmentally friendly pet toys. And since September, customers have been able to have purchases delivered to their homes. “We really felt the neighborhood needed a good pet supply store. We love pets, and we wanted to bring the way that we live— eating organic foods—to a store that we opened, with a ‘green’ philosophy,” said owner Pennye Jones-Napier. “We wanted to be there for the community and its pets.” The delivery service idea, according to Jones-Napier, came from a close friend and customer who found herself purchasing some of her pet supplies from an online retailer. She said she knew she could provide the same service at a lower cost, with the benefit of being a local business. Like all new ventures, the new service faces challenges, but Jones-Napier said the business is working through the obstacles. Now, the owner said, drivers bring a flashlight during night deliveries and plastic bags when it’s raining. “It’s a personalized touch that makes the business special and different,” said JonesNapier. “We’re always looking at improving.” According to Jones-Napier, she founded
CAROLINE SELLE Hyattsville City Administrator Tracey Nicholson and other local officials browsing Big Bad Woof Dec. 3 as Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot kicked off his “shop local” tour.
the Takoma Park business with her partner, Julie Paez, in March 2005. The Hyattsville location opened in August of 2011. JonesNapier said she expects a third branch to open in Silver Spring within the next year. The owners say the store has increased its online presence in the last year, including a Facebook page and Twitter account that
post tips for taking care of pets. “This year, I’ve been making a concerted effort to add new sections in [the website] and update our product listing,” said Jones-Napier. “There’s someone on staff now who is looking at revamping the whole website.” One section of the website is dedicated
to lost animals and those in shelters that need a home. The new delivery option could help offset one of the challenges of operating out of the Arts District. Jones-Napier said she loses a lot of customers because of the parking. Even though the Big Bad Woof has two free spots behind the establishment, she said the city “widely underestimated the amount of parking needed.” “Parking can be a pain,” said Jeremiah Prevatte, a dog owner and customer. “[The Big Bad Woof] could use more parking spots.” Parking issues aside, it’s the friendly nature of the employees, who know most customers by name, as well as their knowledge of pet care that keeps pet owners coming back. The store’s philosophy, according to Jones-Napier, was inspired by her childhood experiences of growing up on her grandparents’ farm in Texas. Today, she said she uses her knowledge of animals and their diets to give advice to customers about how to feed and take care of their pets. The Big Bad Woof hosts monthly “Woof Clinics” to help educate owners, and pets are frequently seen inside. “I come here for the people; they have all of the foods for your dog, and they’ll give you advice for your pet’s diet,” said customer Susie Talbert, a dog owner. “If you love your dog, you’re going to come [to The Big Bad Woof].”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
CulturalConnections
JULIA GASPER-BATES Hyattsville resident and German immigrant Imke Ahlf-Wien poses with her family.
“Live and let live” philosophy says local German resident by Julia Gaspar-Bates
German immigrant Imke AhlfWien is happy to call Hyattsville her home. Living here has been “fantastic because of the strong network and because so much is happening,” she said. “I love the diversity
— I actually like a good mix of people from different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.” Ahlf-Wien, who works as a freelance translator of modern Arabic literature, and her husband, Peter, moved to the U.S. in 2006 when the University of Maryland hired him to teach. Previously, they
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lived in Morocco. The couple initially planned to live here only a few years but as time passed, Imke said they considered staying definitively. AhlfWien said returning to her home culture after many years away helped her realize that it is easier to meet people in the United States.
“We were relieved to come back to the U.S. In Germany it was difficult at first because people do not open up ... It put me in the shoes of someone who comes to Germany from a different culture because it must be very hard to access German culture,” she said. Although she misses urban life and the ability to “walk or bike places” in Germany, Ahlf-Wien enjoys living in the U.S. “It’s very easy to make conversation with Americans. People are more open to invite you over for dinner or potluck parties. The more you become friends with someone, the more you discover the depth. We have many friends and so much support here.” Additionally, she said, Hyattsville is, “a quirky place with people with lots of different interests and people who think outside the box.” People have the freedom to be themselves. Freedom is a theme that resonates strongly with Ahlf-Wien. She recounts that she had a lot of independence growing up near Hamburg, Germany where she could play in the local forest with friends. “I miss that I cannot replicate this type of childhood experience for my children,” she said. Yet, Imke loves the freedom that living in the U.S. affords to its citizens. “One of the things I realize moving here is that America is the country of the free. Everyone does exactly what they want—provided you have enough money. There is a mainstream culture and that is
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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
Page 7
Cookbook highlights friendships through food by Rebecca Bennett
On Nov. 23, Vigilante Coffee hosted a book signing and recipe tasting event in support of a community potluck cookbook at their Gallatin Street roastery. Author Nancy Vienneau said she wrote the Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook based on recipes that came from her local potluck. “In June of 2009, a group of us decided to do something a little bit different and foster community by hosting a potluck. So, we started this potluck group on the third Thursday of each month.” Vienneau said the organizers, one of whom had just started an urban farm and wanted to share food, invited like-minded people from all over the city. They don’t structure the potluck or ask people to RSVP, according to Vienneau, but out of the approximately 100 people on their email list, around 30 people show up each month. She said they host the dinners at various houses or even at the urban farm.
REBECCA BENNETT Author Nancy Vienneau sets out more tastings from her community potluck cookbook at Vigilate Coffee.
“The food was so extraordinary, and continued to be, that I thought this would make a really great cookbook to give people ideas about what they could do fresh and seasonally,” Vienneau said, “for their families or if they wanted to start their own potlucks.” “[Hyattsville] is all about building friendships through food,” resident Madeleine Short said, who organized the event. “This totally resonates
with what the community is trying to achieve.” Short is Vienneau’s daughter. Hyattsville resident Kristen Wares, who attended the event with her 18-month-old daughter, bought a copy of the book as a gift. “But it is so good, I don’t think I can give it away,” she said. Vienneau met with three other food bloggers for the first time at the Hyattsville event who had each been following the others. “I’m addicted to just reading these introductions,” blogger Tracy Pickle said about the cookbook. “I find they are so warm and community-driven.” “The photos are just lovely, very evocative,” said Nicole Criss. “I like how it’s organized seasonally.” Cookbook author Domenica Marchetti said that while the cover indicated the recipes were Southern, they were actually universal. For more information on the Third Thursday Community Potluck Cookbook, visit www.nancyvienneau.com.
Hugh’sNews By Hugh Turley
Sacred Heart Home in Hyattsville was the beneficiary of an annual charity ball organized by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Father Rosensteel Council of the Knights of Columbus in Silver Spring, Maryland. A check for over $25,000 will be presented to Sacred Heart Home on Monday, Dec. 8. Over 260 people attended the charity ball held in November. Nancy Marchone, a co-chairwoman of the event, said, “This was the most successful fund raising event we have ever held.” Paul Fecteau, a resident of Sacred Heart Home, is the husband of ball
co-chairwoman Cecile Fecteau. The facility has been a treasure in Hyattsville since it opened in 1926, providing intermediate and long-term care to some 100 aged and infirmed residents. It is operated by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate. The sisters are committed to Christ’s call for mercy in caring for those in need. Anyone wishing to make a donation during the Christmas season to support this non-profit charity can send their check payable to: Sacred Heart Home 5805 Queens Chapel Road Hyattsville, Md. 20782
MAKE YOUR OWN HOLIDAY FLORAL CENTERPIECE
TEL - 301-699-8312 CALL TO REGISTER The Basket Gourmet Shop is hosting its 1st Annual Holiday Centerpiece Workshop. Join us for a festive evening full of holiday cheer and light refreshments while learning how to make your own floral masterpiece to bring home. Reserve your seat by Dec. 11 and choose the $50 or $75 package which will include the workshop and materials to do arrangements.
DEC. 13 & 14, 3:00 - 5:00 PM (LIMITED SEATING)
Prince George’s County Rain Check Rebate Program • Gives property owners rebates for installing stormwater management practices • $2,000 maximum residential rebate, $20,000 maximum rebate for commercial properties and multi-family dwellings
For more information, call or email CBT’s Natalia Sanchez at 410-974-2941 ext.114 nsanchez@cbtrust.org http://www.cbtrust.org/ princegeorgesraincheck
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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
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el
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Hyattsville Reporter Reportero de Hyattsville No. 300 • December 10, 2014 Santa With a Badge
Don’t be alarmed if you see a line of police cars streaming towards Prince George’s Plaza this Saturday. Just look to see if they’re being led by a team of reindeer. The twelfth Operation Santa with a Badge in Hyattsville
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
is expected to help more than 100 lessfortunate youngsters get holiday presents. Each one will be accompanied by a police officer, and will spend a gift certificate donated by a retailer, resident or agency. “We started off with 13 children and we’ve grown every year,” said Hyattsville Police Department Sergeant Mike Rudinski, who founded the Operation in 2003. Area elementary schools identify the children with financial need who participate, and Rudinski recruits the officers and volunteers that accompany them. Rudinski said the program is great because it buy gifts for so many five- to 12-year-olds, and also reminds the officers of their own personal values. “You’ll see officers reach into their pocket to supplement the gift certificate because the kid wants to buy mom a coat for the winter,” Rudinski said. After the shopping is finished this year, everyone will go to a party at Northwestern High School. Outback Steakhouse will provide the food, and Santa will be in attendance. To make a donation, or for more information, please contact Sergeant Mike Rudinski at mrudinski@hyattsville.org
Let Teenagers Vote? How To Spend Your Taxes?
Hyattsville’s Mayor and City Council is pondering these question, and they want public input to help them make decisions. They invite residents to participate in two public hearings. First, on December 15 you are encouraged to
share your opinion on next year’s City budget. And then on January 5 come say what you think about allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in City elections. Both hearings will be at 7 p.m. at the Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. For more information, contact City Clerk Laura Reams at 301-9855009 or lreams@hyattsville.org.
Composters Wanted
Hyattsville is seeking volunteers to participate in a pilot composting program. Participants will receive, free of charge, a small countertop container, a larger outdoor container, and regular compost pickup. The City hopes to get the program started soon. If you are interested in joining, please contact Colleen Aistis at 301985-5057 or caistis@hyattsville.org.
Cut that out!
Hey you! Yes, you, the one dumping a truckload of yard waste in Magruder Woods. Stop doing that! Dumping in public parks is illegal – no matter if it’s yard waste or trash, by the truckload or handful. When you are caught, you will be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by up to $30,000 and five years in prison. But even before you are caught, you are making parks less great for your neighbors and community. And all to save yourself the fee for going to the actual dump – just $10 for a pick-up-truck load. If you see illegal dumping, report it to Hyattsville Police at 301-985-5060. If you’re a dumper – CUT IT OUT!!!
Every Wednesday and Friday through February 10 - 11 AM, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Colleen Aistis, 301.985.5057, caistis@hyattsville.org
Hyattsville Education Advisory Committee
Thursday, December 11, 6:30 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Jake Rollow, 301-985-5031, jrollow@ hyattsville.org
City Council Public Hearing on Budget Priorities
Monday, December 15, 7 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org
Hyattsville City Council Meeting
Monday, December 15, 8 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org
Santa con Placa de Policía
Es possible que Ud. vea una linea de autos de policía corriendo al Plaza de Prince George este sabado. Pero en vez de preocupar, vea a ver si en frente hay un equipo de reno. El duodécimo Operación Santa con Placa de Policía en Hyattsville se espera ayudar mas de 100 niños pobres a comprar regalos para las fiestas. A cada uno se acompañará una policía, y gastará un certificado de regalo donado por una tienda, residente o agencia. “Empezamos con 13 niños y hemos crecido todos los años,” dijo Sargento Mike Rudinski, del Departmento de Policía de Hyattsville, quien creó la Operación en 2003. Escuelas primarias en el area eligen los niños con necesidades que participan, y Rudinski reclute las policías y los volun-
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
tarios que les acompañan. Rudinski dijo que el gran programa ayuda tantos niños de 5 a 12 años de edad, y también recuerda a las policías de sus valores personales. “Ven policías metiendo la mano en su bolsillo para complementar el certificado de regalo porque el niño quiere comprar una chaqueta para la mama para el invierno,” dijo Rudinski. Después de comprar este año, todos van a la Preparatoria Northwestern para una fiesta. La comida se proveerá Outback Steakhouse, y Santa va a asistir.
ayudarles en decidir. Invitan a los residentes a participar en dos audiencias publicas. Primero, el 15 de diciembre todos están invitado a compartir su opinión sobre el presupuesto de la Ciudad. Y después, el 5 de enero vengan y digan que piensan de la posibilidad de permitir los jovenes de 16 y 17 años a votar en elecciones municipales. Las dos reuniones serán a las 7 p.m. en el Edificio Municipal, 4310 Gallatin Street. Para más información, contacte a la Secretaria de la Ciudad Laura Reams en 301985-5009 o lreams@hyattsville.org.
¿Permiten a Votar los Jovenes? ¿Comó Gastar Sus Impuestos?
Hyattsville busca voluntarios a participar en un programa piloto de compost. Participantes recibirá, gratuita, un contenedor encimero chico, un contenedor mas grande para afuera, y recolección del compost regularmente. La Ciudad pla-
El Alcalde y Consejo Municipal de Hyattsville están pensando en estas preguntas, y quieren retroalimentación del publico para
Buscando Composteros
nea en empezar el programa pronto. Si tiene interés en participar, por favor contacte a Colleen Aistis en 301-985-5057 o caistis@hyattsville.org.
¡Ya Basta!
¡Oye tú! Sí, tú, que estás botando un pickup de basura del jardin en el Bosque Magruder. ¡Parate! Botar en parques publicos es ilegal – no importa si es por camión o puñado. Cuando te atrapan, te cargan con un delíto y puede pagar hasta $30,000 y cinco años en la cárcel. Pero antes de que te atrapan, estás empeorando las parques para sus vecinos y comunidad. Y todo para guardar el dinero de llevar su basura al vertedero – que cuesta $10 para un pickup de basura. Si vea alguien botando, llame al policía en 301-985-5060. Si estás botando – ¡YA BASTA!
CALENDARIO
CALENDAR Ageless Grace Exercise Classes
No. 300 • 10 de diciembre, 2014
Hyattsville Code Compliance Advisory Committee
Wednesday, December 17, 7 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street More information: Chris Giunta, 301-985-5017, cgiunta@hyattsville.org
Volunteer Opportunity: Invasive Plant Removal Saturday, December 20, 9 AM - 1 PM Magruder Woods, 3911 Hamilton Street More information: 301-985-5057
Winter Camp
December 22, 23, 29, 30 and 31 Magruder Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street More information: Tony Martinez, 301-985-5065 or tmartinez@hyattsville.org
City Administrative Offices Closed Emergency Services Continue Thursday, December 25 Thursday, January 1
City Council Public Hearing on Allowing 16- and 17-Year-Olds to Vote
Monday, January 5, 7 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org
Hyattsville City Council Meeting
Monday, January 5, 8 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org
Hyattsville Board of Supervisors of Elections Meeting
Tuesday, January 6, 4 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@hyattsville.org
City Council Work Session on Budget Priorities
Wednesday, January 14, 8 PM Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin More information: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@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 de Educación de Hyattsville
Jueves, 11 de diciembre, 6:30 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Jake Rollow, 301-985-5031, jrollow@ hyattsville.org
Audiencia Publica con el Consejo Municipal: Prioridades del Presupuesto
Lunes, 15 de diciembre, 7 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org
Reunión del Consejo Municipal de Hyattsville
Lunes, 15 de diciembre, 8 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org
Comité de Cumplimiento de Codigos de Hyattsville
Audiencia Publica con el Consejo Municipal: Permitir Jovenes de 16 y 17 a Votar?
Miércoles, 17 de diciembre, 7 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Chris Giunta, 301-985-5017, cgiunta@hyattsville.org
Lunes, 5 de enero, 7 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org
Eliminación de Plantas Invasivas
Reunión del Consejo Municipal de Hyattsville
Sábado, 20 de diciembre, 9 AM - 1 PM Bosque Magruder, 3911 Hamilton Street Más información: 301-985-5057
Campamento del Invierno
22, 23, 29, 30 y 31 de diciembre Centro Recreativo de Magruder Más información: Tony Martinez, 301-985-5065 o tmartinez@hyattsville.org
Oficinas de la Ciudad Cerrados Servicios de Emergencia Continuan Jueves, 25 de diciembre Jueves, 1 de enero
Lunes, 5 de enero, 8 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org
Mesa Directiva de Las Elecciones de Hyattsville
Martes, 6 de enero, 4 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org
Reunión de Trabajo del Consejo Municipal: Prioridades del Presupuesto
Lunes, 1 de diciembre, 8 PM Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Más información: Laura Reams, 301-985-5009, lreams@ hyattsville.org
Page 8
Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
SchoolNews
French immersion school moves to new facility, wins national award By Kit Slack
On a grey fall morning in Greenbelt, the newly renovated site of the Robert Goddard French Immersion School is dazzling in fresh white paint – paint that can’t quite conceal the thick, raised letters that still spell out “Greenbelt Middle School” over the front door. The old lettering is still up because a new name for the French immersion school is pending to go with its new location. The new name (which will replace “Robert Goddard) won’t be official until January, after which a new, permanent sign will be installed. Awaiting final approval, the new name is expected to be the Dora Kennedy K-8 French Immersion School. Dr. Dora Kennedy, who died in 2009, was the head of foreign language education in the county between 1959 and 1991. She was also an early proponent of language immersion and one of the founders of the National Museum of Language in College Park. Dr. Kennedy would have been proud this September, when the U.S. Department of Education named Robert Goddard French Immersion School a National Blue Ribbon School in recognition of its exemplary academic excellence. It was the only public
KIT SLACK The schoolʼs hallways boast educational decorations. This sign asks “How do you dress?”
school in Prince George’s County to receive the award this year and one of fewer than 350 schools nationwide. The school began in 1985 as a French immersion program at a high school in Bladensburg, only the second language immersion program in the country. In 2002, it moved to Seabrook, and became the Robert Goddard French Immersion School, a K-8 school, sharing a building with Robert Goddard Montessori School. This fall, it opens new doors for the third time. The student body is approximately three-quarters African American, 15 percent white, and less
than 5 percent Hispanic. About a quarter of students qualify for free or discounted lunches. On statewide assessment tests over the past five years, over 90 percent of students have been deemed “proficient” or “advanced” in reading and math. Students have also received top honors in the Diplôme d’Études en Langue Francaise, a certification of competency in French from the French Ministry of Education. The school’s curriculum is rigorous. All core subjects are taught in French starting in kindergarten. Students also have homework in reading and math every night. At every grade level, the teach-
ing team coordinates on nightly homework. Still, many parents say the homework load can be heavy. In second grade, the school supplements the French immersion curriculum with instruction in English from dedicated English language teachers. In sixth grade, Russian becomes available as an elective subject, and in seventh grade, Russian becomes mandatory. Teachers at the school are native French speakers from all over the world, including Morocco, Togo, and Syria. Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president Katrina Dodro says the result is “an awesome opportunity for children to get to be more global ... in a multilingual school that is also multicultural.” Ms. Dodro and Principal Nasser Abi agree that one of the school’s other great strengths is its involved parents and their support of the school’s committed teachers. “Parents’ involvement helps the child, the school, and the teacher to improve,” said Principal Abi. One parent who is an experienced grant writer volunteers her skills to the school. Other parents work with teachers to help lead the school’s rich extracurricular offerings, which include chess, art, Lego robotics, fitness, 4-H, and science-focused clubs. Principal Abi says parents are also very committed to the school’s
music programs; orchestra and band start in fourth grade and the school regularly performs well in county-wide music competitions. Some parents say communication with the school can be challenging, especially since only a small percentage of families are French speakers. The school encourages parents to communicate with teachers via email. Ms. Dodro explained that this is the PTA’s “year of communication.” The PTA is encouraging parents to subscribe to a textbased news and update system and to listservs that exist for each grade level. These efforts will eventually replace paper flyers that often languish in backpacks, she said. This year, the school added a fourth kindergarten class, boosting the number of kindergarteners to a total of one hundred children Three hundred remain on the waiting list. Priority admission is given to new kindergarten applicants who are siblings of existing students, with the remaining places filled by a lottery. For upper grades, admission to any available seats is made on the basis of assessment testing, including French language skills. Given the school’s National Blue Ribbon status and attractive new facility, waiting lists are likely to be long again next fall.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
Page 9
For more events, visit www.HyattsvilleLife.com
COMMUNITY CALENDAR December 11
A free, one-night workshop provides the opportunity to create paper ornaments with your loved ones, young and old. All materials are provided. If you have special paper you would like to use, feel free to bring it the day of the event. No registration required. Free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood.
December 13
Don’t miss Breakfast with Santa hosted by the Ladies Auxiliary at the Bunker Hill Road Fire station. 9 a.m. to noon. Bunker Hill Fire Station, 3716 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood. Don’t get stuck at crowded malls this season buying generic gift sets for your loved ones. Come to the Brentwood Arts Exchange Holiday Craft Fair and Beer Tasting Lounge! Thirteen Fine Craft artisans from the community will be displaying their items for sale inside our warm and cozy gallery and classroom. A wide selection of fine craft items will be available such as pottery, jewelry, textiles, glass, ornaments, and much more. In addition to the craft sale, there will be a beer tasting lounge sponsored by Town Center Market and Wilford’s Upholstery. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood.
Do you ever watch musicals and wish you lived in a world where people burst into song on public transportation? Sing Christmas carols on the trolley rides that conclude the 2014 Annual Riverdale Park Holiday Market. Feature holiday gifts, live music and free photos with Santa from noon to 8 p.m. The trolley rides, which run from 5:30 to 8 p.m. (last one departing at 7:30 p.m.), are free with a donation of a canned good. 6200 Rhode Island Avenue, Riverdale Park. 301.927.6381. St. Jerome Academy is holding its first annual Carpe Noctem Boutique. In addition to featuring many vendors throughout the fun-filled evening, wine, tasty desserts, beer, and heavy appetizers will be available to purchase for a sip-and-shop experience. 5 to 9 p.m. St. Jerome Academy, 5207 42nd Place. $5; children 12 and under, free. The College Park Community Foundation is gearing up for its 2014 Winter Gala with food, drink, silent auction, musical entertainment, and a celebration of the 2014 Grant Recipients. The event will be at the College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. $45 per person. 7 p.m. 3501 University Boulevard. www. collegeparkfoundation.org
December 13 to 20
Design and create your dream house out of graham crackers, candy, and frosting at the Gingerbread House Holiday Hullabaloo. Then create your own one of a kind ornament just in time for the holidays! Bring an optional donation of a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. Free. Noon to 3 p.m. 3711 Rhode Island Avenue, Mount Rainier.
December 16
Head to Publick Playouse for a sparkling multi-cultural collection full of Holiday Tales, including the Gift of the Magi, The Nutcracker, Kwanzaa Kite, and Soul of a Menorah. Performed by the Emmy-nominated Pushcart Players, at the heart of each story are gifts of love, kindness, compassion and generosity. This program will warm your heart with the genuine spirit of the sea-
The National Capital Trackers model-railroad club returns to the College Park Aviation Museum with its Holiday Trains and Planes exhibit. See it during regular museum hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $4, with discounts for children and seniors. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.
December 22
All ages are welcome to gather at the library for a screening of
Close out the year by stepping back in time at The Calverts by Candlelight, with period music, children’s activities, seasonal decorations and selfguided tours of the historic mansion, where costumed interpreters representing the Calvert family and visiting military troops will greet guests. $5; free for ages 12 and under. 6 to 9 p.m. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420.
December 28
Sankofa Dance Theatre of CALENDAR continued on page 10
And our Neighboring Community
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A Project of Co
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FOR SALE handm
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4108 Jefferson Street, Hyattsville One of the Grand Dames of Historic Hyattsville! A gracious home with 5 bedrooms & 2 ½ baths. Beautifully situated on a ½ acre lot with multiple porches and balconies and a detached garage. Open House Sunday December 14, 1-4pm Listed for $500,000
if t s
ift
...to sh o p lo c a l! Visit us at Tanglewood Works for a beautiful selection of unique handmade furniture, jewelry, home goods and more! Bring in this card for 10% of select items now through Dec 23rd. One discount per person. B a v a irloaw s e o u r ble ite ms!
December 27
Helping Sell Hyattsville
SOLD el r y • l i g ht
December 14
The Muppet Christmas Carol. Come and watch the Muppets’ version of the holiday classic by Charles Dickens. Kermit stars as Bob Cratchit and Michael Caine makes for a memorable Ebenezer Scrooge. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. Free. 6 p.m. Hyattsville Library, 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
The Hyattsville VFD expanded
se ever See rclasses ! r fo events and
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son. Recommended for grades K-8. $8 or $6 for groups of 20 or more. 10:15 a.m. and noon. 5445 Landover Road, Cheverly. 301.277.1710.
December 13, 19 and 20
Handmade Goods
tu f urni
its Santa Run program in 2014 to three nights of jolly ol’ fun. Weather-dependent. 6 to 8 p.m. Free. Visit www.hvfd.com/santa-run for planned routes.
Questions? We’d love to hear from you! sue@tanglewoodworks.com www.tanglewoodworks.com 415-595-9839
4641 Tanglewood Drive, Edmonston MD Just 5 min. outside DC in the Hyattsville area! (On the front corner of Community Forklift)
SOLD
SOLD
Recent Activity & Sales: 6101 44th Place, Riverdale Sold for $245,000 4017 36th St., Mount Rainier Sold for $267,000 4116 Hamilton Street Sold for $373,000 4010 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville Sold for $317,000 5600 36th Place, Hyattsville Sold for $300,000
5705 41st Ave, Hyattsville Classic 1924 Bungalow – lovingly renovated – Sold for $330,000
4209 Kennedy Street, Hyattsville Lovely 4 BR/2 bath bungalow with den – Sold for $327,000
Wishing Hyattsville a Joyous Holiday Season!
Ann Barrett, Realtor®
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
Honored As Top-Producing Individual Agent, Long & Foster College Park
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013! The information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted.
Page 10
Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
January 7
CALENDAR
continued from page 9
Baltimore presents Kwanzaa, Kwanzaa!, a joyous program celebrating heritage, family and community. The symbols of Kwanzaa are enhanced with African music, traditional tales, dance and drumming. “Sankofa” means learning from the past to build for the future. Join us for a heartwarming, interactive performance for the whole family that reaches into the rich legacy of African culture and history to embrace the proud shared culture of African Americans. $20. $15 for seniors, students and groups of 20 or more. 3 p.m. Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Road, Cheverly. 301.277.1710.
December 29
Help advocate for a child in need by submitting an application for the Court Appointed Child Advocate winter training session. Training will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Jan. 22 to Feb. 19 at the Hyattsville Municipal Building. Free. www.pgcasa.org. 301.209.0491.
Life’s too
sia, 8200 55th Avenue, Berwyn Heights. Free. 3 to 4:30 p.m. 301.459.3375
Join Hyattsville Aging in Place for its January meeting. 7 to 9 p.m. Free. Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. 301.985.5058.
The Hyattsville Library offers a variety of storytimes. Space is limited; free tickets available at the children’s desk. Ages 9-23 months: Mondays, 10:15 a.m. Ages 2-3: Mondays, 11 a.m. Ages 3-5: Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3-6: Wednesdays, 7 p.m. English-Spanish Storytime for ages 3-6: Saturdays, 11 a.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
Ongoing See the 28th Annual Winter Festival of Lights from the comfort of your heated car as you drive through the Watkins Regional Park display, which features over a million lights. Please bring a canned good to donate. Admission per car or van is $5 for a single visit or $10 for a three-visit pass. Open daily through January 1 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro. 301.699.2456.
Rise + Rhyme kicks off the week for the 5-and-under set with storytelling, performances and more. Suggested donation, $5. Monday mornings from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Zinn Room, Busboys & Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue. 301.779.2787.
Through March, naturalists will lead a guided hike around Lake Artemesia and the Luther Goldman Birding Trail on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Meet at the parking lot at Berwyn Road and Ballew Ave. in Berwyn Heights. For beginners and experts. Bird checklist available. Free, no reservations needed. Lake Arteme-
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 tips@hyattsvillelife.com or mail to P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for January submissions is December 28.
REBECCA BENNETT At Hyattsvilleʼs Breakfast with Santa, Heather McAndrews and daughter Olivia had the opportunity to meet the jolly old fellow.
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Wash & Fold Service
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301-559-0707 Custom Wash, Dry & Fold MegaLaundromat.com
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Monthly Laundry Service Plans. Senior Citizen Discounts
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Offset Printing ♦ Full Color Digital Printing Wide Format Printing ♦ Copy & Fax Services Design Services ♦ Wedding & Social Invitations ~ Rush Service Available ~
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Q: What can a penny buy these days? A: Your ad, in full color, delivered by U.S. Mail to a Hyattsville-area household (and with change to spare!)
Contact 301-531-5234 or simply email advertising@hyattsvillelife.com
Loving Care Pediatrics Janet V. Johnson, MD
6525 Belcrest Road Suite #203 Hyattsville, Maryland 20783 Tel: 301-403-8808 Fax: 301-403-1341
School Physicals • Immunizations • Sport Physicals • Minor Emergency Care • Ear Piercing • Urgent/Sick Child Visit • CPR/First Aid Class
M-F 9 - 6 p.m. • Evening & Saturday hours by appointment Same day appointment available *Most Insurance Accepted*
Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
Page 11
MissFloribunda Dear Miss Floribunda, Because you said they harbor Lyme ticks, I got rid of my bush honeysuckles, which had gorgeous red berries in December. I also yanked out the invasive porcelain berry you mentioned, too. Now I find that birds don’t visit my yard much. I’ve tried the obvious solution, installing bird feeders. The squirrels just love them, thank you very much. I want to plant something I can see from my windows that will attract birds again, and attract them in December. To me, birds and berries are an important part of the Yuletide scene and I always send out those Victorianstyle Christmas cards that feature them. I’m considering planting holly, but as you have pointed out, it is unpleasantly prickly. Please recommend something fast growing and ecologically acceptable. Bereft of Berries on Buchanan Street Dear Bereft of Berries, You will be happy to know that some of our own native plants bear fruit in late autumn, enough to last till early spring. Some fill the bill perfectly — whether the bill of a cedar waxwing, a chickadee, or some other bird passing through or staying the winter. My own favorite is the American highbush cranberry (Vi-
burnum trilobum). It gets up to 12 feet tall and wide but can be pruned back easily, and you can find lower growing varieties. This shrub grows fairly quickly, isn’t prickly like holly, and not only produces luscious red berries in fall that last through the winter, but blooms in spring with charming little hydrangealike white flowers. The chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) is another good native-bird lure, as is the wahoo (Euonymus atropurpurea) and the dramatically attractive and nonpoisonous staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina). All have festive, red berries for your visual delight. As for holly, I only suggested kinder, gentler alternatives for indoor decorating. It is a wonderful bird harbor precisely because of the prickles. The birds are safe from competitors and predators while they feast on the berries. Some varieties are quite fast growing: the Nellie R. Stevens, a cross between Chinese holly and English holly, grows two to three feet a year. When it reaches the height you want, it accepts severe pruning forgivingly. It is also remarkable because it is parthenocarpic (self-fertile), and so you don’t need to buy both male and female plants. If you decide to create a good winter birdscape, you might consider certain evergreens that not only have lovely sil-
Hyattsville Police Re-Accredited The Hyattsville Police Department last month was awarded reaccreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Hyattsville Police have been accredited repeatedly and continuously since 1999.
The American highbush cranberry produces luscious red berries in the fall that last throughout the winter.
very-blue berries and foliage, but are the favorite nesting places of such birds as the colorful and tuneful cardinal. If you have room for a tree that reaches 65 feet tall, you couldn’t do better than the beautiful eastern red cedar, but there are other
smaller varieties of junipers adorned with beautiful berries. They not only feed the birds but offer them shelter from the winter winds. Don’t forget that junipers are dioecious, which means that female junipers won’t set fruit if there isn’t a male juniper somewhere somewhere in the vicinity. There are many other wonderful choices, but I assume you want to limit this to the present season. As an afterthought, have you considered investigating squirrel-proof bird feeders? There are “squirrel-buster” models of several types. One has a mechanism that the weight of the squirrel activates and which collapses whatever the squirrel is perched on it. Birds are able to perch on the thin ring surrounding the collapsible part. Some bird feeders are placed on tall poles that squirrels supposedly can’t climb. Another type has a globular shape that less athletic squirrels have trouble staying astride, and yet another gives the squirrel a nonlethal but unpleasant electric shock. And then my friend Ivan Grozni has a very good recipe for squirrel pie. To meet Ivan and other members of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society please come to the December meeting and party at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20. It will be hosted by by Jean and Millard Smith at 3600 Longfellow Street.
Give the Gift of Hyattsville Pride Give the Gift of
Hyattsville Pride The City of Hyattsville is launching sales of the world-famous “I AM HYATTSVILLE” t-shirt in time for the holidays. The shirts are available in cuts for children, women and men at www.cafepress.com/ cityofhyattsville.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
queens chapel
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on State Highways. In a presentation to the city council in December 2012, SHA said the plan extends the grassy median across the intersections of Oliver Street and Manorwood Drive. Renderings show that this will limit access to and from northbound MD 500. “Current staff is aware of the concerns of residents and Council Members and is appreciative of their insight,” City Administrator Tracey Nicholson said, encouraging residents to continue to provide input. “Any upgrade to existing infrastructure in the City can be beneficial.” SHA said drivers can expect changes to traffic patterns during construction. The northbound right-turn lane from Queens Chapel Road to Hamilton Street is presently closed. SHA expects crews to complete the current drainage improvements in 2015, after which similar improvements are planned for southbound MD 500.
SHA originally told the city that a double left-turn lane from MD 500 onto Belcrest Road was not possible because the intersection was not wide enough, according to a January 2014 meeting with city, county, and state representatives. However, the November press release says the double turn lane is to be included. The city also requested a traffic light be installed at the intersection of Queens Chapel Road with Nicholson Street; however, that will not included in the project. The Maryland Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices states that there are nine factors that determine whether a stop signal is warranted, according to SHA Community Liaison David Buck. “The most recent crash history, traffic counts, prevailing speeds, delay study, and sight distance were used in the study,” Buck said. “A review of the crash history did not indicate a collision history correctable by installing a signal.” SHA said they expect the entire project to be completed by late fall 2016.
facilities
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city’s needs are expected to expand to 65,500 square feet. As a solution, the city suggested moving the police department to the former BB&T building by 2018, budgeting for short-term improvements to the municipal building, and looking for buyers or lessees for the Arcade Building and parts of the municipal building. Projected costs for the renovations broken down by location: $2.72 million for the former BB&T building, $2.45 million for the Arcade Building, $1.94 million for the DPW yard, and $1.43 million for the Hyattsville Municipal Building. Work needs to be done on the ground floor of the former BB&T building in order to make it more secure and accessible to residents, according to Chandler’s presentation, and new tenants would need to replace the existing HVAC system. In the short-term, the facilities study said only $479,000 would be required to make the building usable. The Arcade Building requires extensive renovation inside, accord-
t. carter ross Given space constraints, the city discussed moving the police department out of the municipal building.
ing to the city, as it is currently not fit for use as office space or a storage facility. Chandler said the alterations to the DPW yard are already underway, and that construction will include new buildings and a renovation of existing properties. Finally, the existing city administration building requires a host of renovations ranging from an update to the entryway to an expansion in the amount of available meeting room square footage, Chandler said. The next steps for the facilities plan starts with an approval from the city council to relocate the police department to the former BB&T building. That is scheduled
to be addressed in December. Then, the council would need to approve a budget for fiscal 2016 that allows for renovations to start under the capital improvements line of expenditures. After that, the city would need to decide how to use the Arcade Building and the remaining space in the municipal building. That decision is projected for the middle of 2015, after the scope of renovations is made clear. In the event the council did want to move forward, Chandler proposed dates for public discussion, including the Dec. 15 city council meeting and a community meeting in January.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
Page 13
rebecca bennett On Nov. 16, Just Rock Enterprises held a soft launch of their new space, which included a tour and pop-up live performances. Below: Juliette Bozyigit (left) and Music Director Jordan Sherman (right).
rock
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an additional five to six scattered throughout the region. “Our mission is to encourage everyone to be the best expression of themselves, the best indie version of themselves,� Wright said. “We do this through teaching voice, piano, wood, bass, strings. The goal is to spread a mission of teaching music from an indie artist perspective.� In addition to studio space, JRE said it offers its students the option of working with instructors at home or via Skype. The instructors, all of whom continue to be independent artists in the local area, teach students ranging from
3 to 65 years old in voice and instrumental music. Wright said that most students hear of the business through word-of-mouth. Many of the instructors use nontraditional teaching techniques, like musical theater. Students are taught how to market themselves and talk to producers, Wright said. “It’s unique teaching but it is something we think they should be doing anyways to hone the craft,� said Music Director Jordan Sherman. “I always had freedom to teach the way I wanted to, so I want others to have that and to create good musicians.� “[JRE] goes along with the way I naturally teach — playing is playing, pretty much,� said Douglas Byrd Jr., who teaches bass and lead guitar and drums. “One thing I like
about working here is the impact we can make on the young folks‌[we can] make a positive impression.â€? JRE students are given the opportunity to participate in quarterly showcases, which are “not typical recitals,â€? Wright said. There have been two showcases this year, one of which she said was held at Busboys and Poets in Hyattsville with a live band. “We want to equip them with the knowledge and experience that we have gained as indie artists ourselves,â€? said Wright. “When you are first throwing yourself out there as an artist, you learn as you go along.â€? For more information, head to www.justrockenterprises.com
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Hyattsville Life & Times | December 2014
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