FIT FOR A KING
BLOOMS ON THE BALCONY Miss Floribunda offers tips for maximizing minimal space. PAGE 6
Green living in a gray winter Off season at the farmer’s market by Caroline Selle
It can be hard to find local food in the winter months. Most farmers’ markets shut down for the season, and only the most intrepid of gardeners are able to keep their vegetables flourishing through the cold. Even winter Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs are scarce. But at the indoor Riverdale Park Farmers’ Market, held Thursday afternoons, vendors’ baskets overflow with apples, carrots, and kale. Sausages from Groff ’s Content Farm are heated in the Town Center Market’s hot dog machine, tucked inside rolls from Stone Hearth Bakery, and topped with sauerkraut from Number 1 Sons. “I love to have good prepared food [for sale],” said Market Coordinator Jim Coleman. And with the array of vendors present at the winter market, the components for fresh, local meals were all there. “All I had to do was find mustard,” he said, and the sausages were ready to eat. The Riverdale Park Farmers’ Market has been a staple of
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID EASTON MD PERMIT NO. 43
MARKET continued on page 4
Church holds fourth annual event honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. PAGE 3
BEING A SMART SECONDHAND SHOPPER New column is “a love letter to thrifting, repurposing and the thrill of finding hidden treasures in and around Hyattsville.” PAGE 9
Hyattsville Life&Times
Vol. 11 No. 2
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
February 2014
Calvert House Inn closes after 51 years in business Salimis leave for California with good memories and precious friendships
by Rosanna Landis Weaver
February 1 was much like any other day at Calvert House Inn, Restaurant and Pub. On the walls were glowing restaurant reviews from 20 years ago. Right outside the door was an oversize metal ashtray. At the tables were dishes of stuffed shrimp or Angus ribeye. And sitting on the barstools were people who’ve spent decades enjoying the company of each other and of the owners, coming back for one last crab cake. This was the last day of a half-century run. And in the kitchen was Fereydoun Salimi and his wife, Susan, who operated the Baltimore AvCALVERT continued on page 13
ROSANNA LANDIS WEAVER Susan and Fereydoun Salimi on the final afternoon at Calvert House Inn.
Armed robbers invade residential concert venue Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
by Susie Currie
Shortly after midnight on February 6, two armed men simultaneously kicked in two doors of a University Hills home that had regularly hosted underground indie-rock concerts and house parties. At press time, no arrests had been made, but the incident “does not appear to be random,” said Lt. Chris Purvis of the Hyattsville City Police Department (HCPD). It happened in the 7500 block of Adelphi
Road, across the street from College Park Academy and St. Mark’s Church, near the Campus Drive entrance to the University of Maryland. Four men in their early 20s were in the house at the time, said Purvis, including two who live there. They were ordered to lie on the floor and surrender their cell phones, wallets and laptops. The suspects are described as black men wearing ski masks and dark clothing. No one was injured in the robbery, and po-
lice have not released further details about the ongoing investigation. Purvis said that five people live in the house, which is listed as the primary residence of the owners, Lin Yi-Hsiang and Perng Chuen-Shiang. State records show that they purchased it in 1987 and own two other homes in the area. A publicly listed phone number for them has been disconnected. ROBBERY continued on page 10
Included: The February 12, 2014 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section
Page 2
Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
FromTheVP
Building trust in Hyattsville by Chris Currie
Last fall, a reporter for the Life & Times saw an armored personnel carrier parked in the city’s Department of Public Works yard. His photos were recently forwarded to City Hall with a request for an explanation, but no city official admitted noticing the vehicle or had any idea why it was there. A couple decades ago a military vehicle in municipal custody would have turned heads. Now, it goes wholly unnoticed. Small wonder there was almost no dissent among the city council when it recently approved the acquisition of a military-
A community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781 http://issuu.com/ hyattsvillelifeandtimes 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. Executive Editor Susie Currie susie@hyattsvillelife.com 301.633.9209 Managing Editor Rosanna Landis Weaver rosanna@hyattsvillelife.com 301.277.5939 Editorial Intern Scarlett Salem Production Ashley Perks Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234 Writers & Contributors Amanda Alley, Molly Parrish, Valerie Russell, Fred Seitz, Hugh Turley Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President Susie Currie - Secretary Peggy Dee, Karen J. Riley, Valerie Russell Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter Ross Rosanna Landis Weaver - Ex Officio Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. Mail to every address in Hyattsville. Additional copies are distributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the city. Total circulation is 9,300. HL&T is a member of the National Newspaper Association.
surplus High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee) for the city’s police force. What explains this change? I believe the answer lies in the state of “social capital,” which can be loosely defined as the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively. Social capital provides the basis of trust and reciprocity that produces civic engagement and enriches community life. In Bowling Alone (2000), sociologist Robert Putnam popularized the understanding that social capital has been on the decline in the United States in recent decades, undermining Americans’ ability to live mutually enriching lives and, ultimately, to sustain our democratic form of self-government. “Other things being equal, people who trust their fellow citizens more volunteer more often, contribute more regularly, participate more often in politics and community organizations, serve more readily on juries, give blood more frequently, comply more fully with their tax obligations, are more tolerant of minority views, and display many other forms of civic virtue,” Putnam wrote. On the other hand, when trust in one’s neighbors is eroded, it’s replaced by suspicion, fear and cynicism. An excessive anxiety about
crime is one symptom of the decline of social capital. The city of Hyattsville was developed upon a framework of thick community, and its legacy remains in our closely spaced houses built near to the street, front porches, sidewalks, and many amenities — stores, schools, parks and churches — situated within walking distance. We are blessed with a built environment that encourages citizens to gather and interact with each other in a variety of contexts. Indeed, Hyattsville’s character as an “urban village” was what attracted many of its current residents, particularly young people seeking an alternative to the alienation of the modern American suburbs they grew up in. Their aspirations have fueled recent efforts to improve our town’s walkability and bikeability, revive or develop new civic associations and events, create new media outlets, and upgrade our local schools. Not all is sunshine on the horizon, however. In a 2007 paper, Putnam cited research indicating that greater diversity is associated with less trust in a community, a phenomena he described as “hunkering down.” This he found to be true not only between different groups, but also within the same groups. Hyattsville, as arguably the most demographically diverse community in the metropolitan area, serves as a
POSTCARDS FROM THE PAST
laboratory of the impact of social diversity on community life. Putnam’s thesis hit home a decade ago when I helped conduct a community-values study for the Hyattsville Marketing Task Force. Hyattsville residents scored highest of all 80 surveyed communities on fear of crime — that, despite the fact that Hyattsville’s crime rate even then was moderate, and demonstrably lower than that of some other surveyed communities. Since that time, Hyattsville’s continuing anxiety about crime — real or imagined — has resulted in a steep escalation of expenditures for the city’s police force even as spending in other departments has languished, and as the city’s crime rate has continued to decline. Fear of crime is rooted in a fundamental lack of trust: the belief that other members of society are likely to violate one’s property or person. To the extent that this fear is not warranted by objective circumstances, it is caused at least partly by other factors. The famous “broken-window” theory of the spread of crime in a community holds that disorder, if left unchecked, lowers social norms generally and signals to outlaws that the wider community won’t enforce prohibitions against deviant behavior. Similarly, when the social behaviors and physical conditions of a community signal mutual fear
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Many residents of Ward 4 still miss Carol Ann Colson Kimbell, who sadly passed away on September 21 at the age of 79. Raised in Washington, D.C., Carol had been a resident of Hyattsville since 1959. She was a tireless civic activist and attended many city council meetings. Fighting for benefits for our city police officers was constant with Carol. She took great interest in the neighborhood around Lancer Drive, which was her home for more than 50 years. In what may have been her final appearance before the city council, on April 1, she spoke against allowing a local restaurant to host live music and DJs. “Nightclubs do not belong in residential neighborhoods,” she said. She was also a teacher’s aide at the old Ager
Chris Currie is vice president of Hyattsville Community Newspaper Inc., publisher of the Hyattsville Life & Times.
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and distrust, then it follows that antisocial attitudes will increase, not only reducing social capital but paradoxically worsening the very same problems community members are afraid of. Thus, the prospect of military vehicles rumbling through the streets of our village hardly portends well for weaving the underlying web of trust and openness to neighbor that will support greater civic engagement and reduce anti-social behaviors like crime. On the contrary, it helps to explain why, at the same meeting the Humvee was approved, the council gave preliminary approval to raising the height limit on front-yard fences. After all, fortress fences seem an appropriate psychological response to whatever threat requires an Army assault vehicle to quell. It is a paradox of our nature that we humans require a rich tapestry of social relationships to thrive individually and in community, yet we are also hard-wired to be clannish and tribal — to fear the outsider, to hunker down in narrower groups that foreclose some of the broader harmony and reciprocity that nourish human happiness. The challenge for all of us in our dynamic, diverse community is to have the courage to reach out to our neighbors — unarmed and unbarricaded — and invite them to share their lives with us. Let us in Hyattsville be known not by our fear, but by our trust.
and Germany. Receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from the Prince George’s County Board of Education brought tears to her eyes. Road Elementary School, and an asset to Among her other accomplishments was bethe music program at Northwestern High ing a president as well as a board member for School. Her three children — Steven, Bren- the Council on America’s Military Past,a nada and Stephanie — graduated tional historical organization dedifrom there, and she actively cated to preserving our country’s participated in the bands and military heritage. orchestras at the school. She had two degrees in social work Carol coordinated the Bicenfrom Catholic University and was a tennial Concert of the Prince clinical social workwe at a psychiatGeorge’s County Youth Orric hospital in Sykesville, Maryland. chestra at the Kennedy Center After her retirement in 1996, she in 1976 with famed guest contraveled extensively both within the ductor Roger Wagner. She conU.S. and outside it. tinued working with the youth In addition to her three children, orchestra for several years in she is survived by four grandchilvarious capacities, making the dren and one great-grandchild. Her Kennedy Center concert an husband of 38 years, Charles, passed FAMILY PHOTO away in 1993. annual event. She also helped coordinate two overseas tours Carol Ann Rest in peace, Carol. You are sorely of the orchestras to England Colson Kimbell missed.
Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
Page 3
Honoring a legend in Hyattsville by Amanda Alley
“Martin Luther King, Jr., saw the church as having a pivotal role in society,“ notes Reverend. Joan Carter-Rimbach, pastor of First United Methodist, “it’s time for church to be the church again, and reach out to address the needs of the community.” And so, for the past four years, the church has hosted an event in January, on the national holiday honoring King’s birthday. Almost 100 people gathered at the 2014 event, which was cosponsored by the Community Ministry of Prince George’s County, to celebrate King’s legacy and consider the theme of “Nonviolence: Education, Character, a Way of Life.” The various workshops and discussions focused on nonviolent tactics as a realistic response to today’s social issues, especially those pertaining to youth. The workshops were tracked for teenagers and adults. The teen workshop focused on the “Richmond 34” sit-in of 1960, when 34 students from the Virginia Union University protested segregation of lunch counters at a local department store and were later arrested. Workshop attendants divided in groups, and created and performed skits showcasing how they envisioned the events and emotions of that historic local event. Michele Walton, a seminary student and teacher leading the group discussion, said this activity “gives students a chance to live that day’s events and ask ... what are [we] willing to go to jail for?” Meanwhile, the adults were assigned an equally thoughtprovoking task: Dissect King’s iconic “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” and discuss the differences and similarities between our current social issues and those King pondered during
amanda alley On January 20, adults gathered in the First United Methodist Church sanctuary to discuss Martin Luther King’s famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” while teenagers attended a separate workshop elsewhere in the building.
his time. It was an engaging discussion where members of the church and other locals could discuss concerns for their community and effective ways of resolving them. While many of the event’s attendants were parishioners, many of the youth in attendance came from nearby group homes in southeast D.C. One teen, 17-year-old Marken Brown of D.C. said he “liked the fellowship and interaction and the fact that [directors] try to publicize racial issues from the past, because they still exist.” Community Ministry works with communities throughout
Prince George’s county to assess and help meet the health and educational needs of the underserved. Executive Director Jimmie Slade, a retired Army colonel, believes “violence is trying to take out [our] youth. We must provide education [for] youth to respond to violence in a different way, so they can achieve their God-given potential.” Harry Williams, a consultant with Community Ministry and
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these qualities with his decision to resist violence.” The day ended with a lively service in the sanctuary with a sermon given by North Carolina pastor and renowned gospel singer Greg Drumwright. Afterwards, the community marched out of the church onto the church yard and posted signs along the streets echoing the day’s theme, “MLK: Nonviolence: A Way of Life.”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
MARKET
continued from page 1
the Route 1 Corridor since its founding in June 1998. Coleman got involved in 2006 and has been coordinating the market ever since. In the summer, in the parking lot across the street, the Riverdale Farmers’ Market has an abundance of vendors selling local produce, prepared food, wine, starter plants, and crafts such as soap. Winter pickings are a bit slimmer, but Coleman works to make sure a full range of goods are available. “In mild weather, you’ll probably see radishes, turnips, greens — salad greens and collards, kale, sometimes kohlrabi, sweet potatoes and apples,” Coleman said. If stored properly through the winter, apples are available almost until the first peach crop comes in June. Most of the produce comes from ECO City Farms and Full Cellar Produce. Groff’s Content Farm sells meat and cheese, and Number 1 Sons produces naturally fermented foods like kimchi, cucumber pickles, and “kalechi” (think kimchi where the cabbage is replaced by kale). Stone Hearth Bakery brings freshly baked bread. Farmers in the mid-Atlantic region have few incentives to grow food through the winter as consumers turn to readily available (and out of season) grocery store produce. “Our winter market ecosystem is nowhere near as developed as, say, it is in New England and the Maine area, where they’ve been doing this for decades,” Coleman said. This is one of the reasons it can be so difficult for consumers to find locally sourced winter food.
courtesy of riverdale Park farmers’ market Winter wares at the Riverdale Park Farmers’ Market include vegetables both green and orange.
“We like the market because we like to support the local folks,” said Matt Gifford. On the first Thursday in February, he and Sonia Keiner attended the winter market for the first time to sell Keiner’s mother’s hand-knitted scarves. They’re normally customers of the summer market, which Gifford called a “one-stop shop.” Loyal winter market customers will know Coleman uses the slower winter season to experiment and see what might work
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year-round in future years. The sausages are one new initiative. Coleman is also trying to get more preserved food into the market. “One of the things I’ve been pushing with my farmers recently is value-added produce,” he said. Value-added produce includes sun-dried tomatoes, dried fruit, and items like jams, jellies, pickled vegetables and canned tomatoes that can be produced in the summer and sold in the winter. “We need the new generation of farmers to step up so that we are ready when the winter comes.” Just as the produce changes in the winter, so does the feel of the market. “I think my favorite part is the intimacy of the winter market,” Coleman said. “It’s very much a person-to-person experience. You get to know your regular winter customers.”
Life’s too
And winter customers get to know the food. Coleman’s favorite winter product is Gold Rush apples, which don’t stand out much in September, October or November. “They’re a funny apple,” he said. “You can get them in the fall, but they actually have to sit in a cold area for two or three months before they fully develop their flavor.” It’s December, January or February before they become, as Coleman put it, “the apples that they are meant to be.”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
Page 5
Doing wellness well: local event covers health issues by Barbara Ryan
Since 1995 Joe’s Movement Emporium has been a home to all types of artists and innovative programming. In this spirit, it hosted the annual Wellness Fair on January 26 in an effort to promote good health within the community. The event featured yoga classes, demonstrations and lectures, mini massages, health and wellness vendors, and resources to help Marylanders navigate the Affordable Care Act. Joe’s considers “everyone a Joe, because everyone can move” and offers a variety of programs to stay active and will continue to support the health of the community by offering a nutrition program in the spring sponsored by Providence Hospital. A series of six free classes on evenings and weekends will focus on good nutrition and moving more. Topics will include “Eating healthy on a budget,” “Physical activity is key to living well,” and “Quick, healthy meals and snacks.” Joe’s is one of four sites chosen in Prince George’s County because it’s considered a “community hub.” For more information, visit www. joesmovement.org.
kolby ford, courtesy of joe’s movement emporium One table at the Wellness Fair was sponsored by “Veggiecation,” a culinary education program designed to spark a love for vegetables in children.
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courtesy of Will Campos County Councilman Will Campos (left) joined Hyattsville Police Chief Douglas Holland and dozens of other Maryland police officers in the chilly Chesapeake Bay for the Fourth Annual Police Plunge at Sandy Point State Park on January 24. Temps were so low that organizers postponed the next day’s public Polar Bear Plunge to March 8.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
MissFloribunda Dear Miss Floribunda, I am an apartment dweller, but I looked in on the HHS seed sale February 8 because your January column promised there would be varieties of miniature plants appropriate for balcony gardeners. I bought several packets of seeds from the patio collections, including red velvet lettuce, Easter Egg radishes, Spacemaster 80 cucumbers, jalapeno peppers, romano bush beans and container choice tomatoes. I chose seeds for little Johnny-jump up violas, dwarf French marigolds and Tom Thumb zinnias. Now I am wondering what to put them in. There is a bewildering selection of pots in hardware stores and nurseries. I wonder about sizes: Do you use mini-pots for minivegetables? I’m also wondering which are most space- and water-efficient. I didn’t have time to wait my turn to consult anyone at the information tables. Maybe you can give me some pointers now. Going to Pot at Post Park Dear Going to Pot, I’ve looked at photographs of Post Park balconies and I see that they are covered and are surrounded
VICTORIA HILLE ROSANNA LANDIS WEAVER Left: Geraldine Hall, and her children Caelan Rice (10) and Jasper Rice (6) shop at the Hyattsville Horticultural Societyʼs 5th Annual Hart Seed Sale on February 8. Caelan is planning a butterfly garden,and Jasper is most excited about the muskmelon seeds. Right: A scene from Granny Greenawayʼs balcony.
by what looks like an iron railing around the floor space. Your more sun-loving plants, especially tomatoes, will have to be situated right against the railing where there is most sun. I would not use clay pots unless you have time to water twice a day. Square pots and window boxes are
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most space-efficient. Redwood ones would be handsome but plastic ones are fine. Don’t forget to place trays or saucers beneath them to make sure no water damage from drainage is done to your balcony or to the one below. For maximum sunlight, there are secure bracketing systems with drainage trays that enable you to safely hang window boxes from the iron railings surrounding the balcony. Of course, you need to check with your apartment house management to be sure there is no regulation forbidding it. Here is a plan: You could put your tomato plants in fairly large square containers at the front corners of the balcony, and the cucumbers in window boxes between them on
the floor. Though the patio tomato plants don’t get terribly tall and the tomatoes are small, you want to give the root system plenty of room; the cucumber’s root system is pretty shallow. The tendrils of the cucumbers will climb the bars. The boxes in brackets would look charming filled with the colorful dwarf zinnias, beans and peppers. Of course, marigolds are traditionally grown around tomato plants and they need full sun. The radishes, carrots and lettuce could be grown in window boxes reaching back from the sunnier area. Away from the heat of the sun, the lettuce will be slower to turn bitter and go to seed. The violas would look charming in pots around your doorway. When the
heat makes them fade, you can always replace them with begonias and impatiens. I well remember the enchanting balcony garden of my dear old Granny Greenaway, who lived in an apartment on Newton Street for nearly 15 years and developed a lavish display that some locals dubbed “The Hanging Gardens of Brookland.” She lined the spacious roofless balcony with square-bottomed polyurethane garbage cans of a subtle shade of Williamsburg blue that was unobtrusive and complemented any color scheme. For drainage, she poked holes with heated aluminum “nails” used to hasten potato baking in those premicrowave days. As a result she could grow deeprooted plants: rose bushes surrounded by larkspur come to mind. She hung pots of red geraniums surrounded by white petunias from the balcony railing. Shallower boxes in the windowsills were filled with nasturtiums, and morning glories trained not only around the windows but over the door to the balcony. Vegetables were not neglected, and I recall eating tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, peas, beans and even potatoes grown on her balcony. Perhaps my favorite memory is her delight when the larkspur selfseeded and its frothy white, pink and blue blooms surrounded the fire hydrant on the street below. So you see, the possibilities are prolific. To get more ideas and advice, come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society on Saturday, March 15, at 10 a.m. It will take place at the home of Heather Olsen at 4915 42nd Avenue.
Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
Page 7
COMMUNITY CALENDAR February 12 and 22
ment Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier. For more information, visit www.adaylahbanks.com or call 301.699.1819.
History lovers ages 8 and up can learn about how both slaves and freemen were Fighting for Freedom in the War of 1812 in this free program. Reservations required; space is limited. Starts at 1 p.m. both days. Battle of Bladensburg Visitors Center, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.927.8819.
February 22
February 14
Joe’s Movement Emporium presents a Valentine’s Day Swing Dance, which starts with an hour-long group lesson from professional swing dancers. Cash bar. All proceeds benefit Joe’s educational services for county youth. $15 ($25 per couple). 7 to 10 p.m.; dance lesson, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier. 301.699.1819 or www.joesmovement.org. Students age 10 to 17 are invited to whip up some Valentine’s Day Treats with the Prince George’s County Xtreme Teens. Free with M-NCPPC Youth ID. 7 to 10 p.m. Prince George’s Plaza Community Center, 6600 Adelphi Road, 301.864.1611.
February 15
All are welcome to join the discussion of Cheryl Strayer’s Wild: from Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast, the awardwinning journal of the author’s 1,000-mile
M-NCPPC Gospel singer VaShawn Mitchell joins other musicians in “Celebrtating Our Heritage,” a free concert at the Clarice Smith Center on March 2.
hike along the Pacific Crest Trail after facing a series of personal losses. Free. 3 p.m. Hyattsville Branch Library, 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
February 16
Comedy Supreme presents My Funny Valentine Comedy Show, hosted by Adaylah Banks and featuring several local comedians. $20 admission fee benefits Miriam’s Kitchen. 7 p.m. Joe’s Move-
Native Washingtonian Bill Harris combined printmaking and wood-turning for the wall-mounted sculptures on display now at the Brentwood Arts Exchange. The exhibit is named The Commentary: Bill Harris, and that’s just what Harris will be providing at this afternoon’s Artist’s Talk. The talk starts at 2 p.m., and the show runs through March 8. Gallery hours are weekdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood. 301.277.2863 Soul in Motion Players mark Black History Month with a showcase of African drumming and dance. $20, with discounts for students and seniors. 8 p.m Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd., Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819 or www.joesmovement.org.
February 23
Seasonal Selections: The Plummers’ Kitchen will demonstrate open-hearth cooking of recipes that would have been typical for 19th-century African-Americans. $3; discounts for children and seniors. Noon to 3:15 p.m. Riversdale
House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. Irish eyes will be smiling at St. Jerome’s Fifth Annual Irish Night Celebration. The evening will include live music, traditional Irish dance demonstration, and plenty of food and fun. Donations accepted at the door to benefit St. Jerome Academy. 2 to 6 p.m. in the parish Gold Room, 5205 43rd Avenue. 301.927.6684.
February 24
The Hyattsville library’s Winter Independent Film Series continues with Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station, released last summer to critical acclaim. Afterwards, local filmmaker Miriam Machado-Jones will lead a discussion on the movie. Refreshments provided. Free. 6:45 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
February 25
Pizza Paradiso owner Ruth Gresser’s new book, Kitchen Workshop: Pizza, is billed as a “complete curriculum” for homemade pizza. Join Gresser and the book’s photographer, Moshe Zusman, at tonight’s book-signing and reception. Free. 7 p.m. Art Works Now, 3711 Rhode Island Avenue, Mount Rainier. artworksnow. org. 301.454.0808. CALENDAR continued on page 8
Under the Sea
Parent and Child Dance Party
Saturday, February 22, 2014, 5 - 7 PM City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street
Kid-friendly music and dancing, plus refreshments and fun photos Tickets: $5.00 per guest Children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the evening Reservations required - 301/985/5021 or www.hyattsville.com/underthesea
Hyattsville Reporter Page HR1
Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
the
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
Call-A-Bus service does the driving for seniors!
Seniors age 60 and better and residents with disabilities are eligible to ride the City’s Call-a-Bus, a low-cost transportation program. The bus provides curb-to-curb transportation on an appointment basis four days a week, beginning at 9 AM and ending at 2 PM. The fare is $2 each way. The bus has a wheelchair lift and can accommodate a variety of chairs and scooters. Priority goes to passengers with medical appointments, but the bus also makes trips to the grocery store, bank, and other errands. The bus can take passengers anywhere within a 6-mile radius of the City. Passengers must be registered prior to their first trip. Please call 301/985-5020 for more information.
No. 280 • February 12, 2014
PLASTIC BAGS BANNED FOR YARD WASTE COLLECTION – EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2014 If your household is served by the Department of Public Works, there is an important change coming to Yard Waste Collection. Starting January 2014, plastic bags are no longer accepted for Yard Waste Collection. Yard Waste is organic material, such as leaves, grass clippings, small branches, and brush. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 17% of all municipal solid waste is Yard Waste. Separating Yard Waste allows the City to take it to a Prince George’s County facility where it can be composted and re-used. Starting January 2014, Prince George’s County composting facilities no longer accepts Yard Waste in plastic bags. Residents may use heavy-duty paper bags, or separate trash cans. Branches may be bundled. Questions? Please call 301/985-5032 or email info@hyattsville.org
Join us on Saturday, February 22 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM for the 2014 Parent & Child Dance Party. This year’s theme is Under the Sea! The event takes place at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. Join us for kid-friendly music and dancing, plus refreshments and fun photos! Tickets are $5.00 per person. Children must be accompanied by an adult throughout the evening. Space is limited, so reservations are required. To make a reservation, call 301/985-5021 or use the form at www. hyattsville.org/underthesea.
The Department of Community Services offer Camp Magruder during the Prince George’s County Public Schools breaks. Registration for Summer Break will open on Tuesday, February 18 at 9 AM. Camp Magruder combines arts, sports, and general free-play. Tuition includes snacks and all supplies, as well as weekly swimming trips to Hamilton Splash Pool and one field trip per session. Before care tuition also includes breakfast. Enrollment is open to kids ages 5 through 10. Camp hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM through 5:00 PM. Before care is available from 7:30 to 9:00 AM. After care is offered from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. The cost per Camper is $225 for each two-week session. Before and After care are $20 each per Camper, per session. Registering more than one Camper? Sibling discounts are available. The second Camper pays $175/Session for Full Day.
Camp Magruder Summer 2014 Session Dates Session I: June 16 through June 27 Session II: June 30 through July 11* Session III: July 14 through July 25 Session IV: July 28 through Aug 8 Session V: Aug 11 through Aug 15** * Camp does not meet on Friday, July 4. ** One-week session; all fees are 50% of the posted session rates. Please note that we do not accept Session V only registrations. Campers must have attended at least one prior session during Summer 2014 to attend Session V. Questions and Contact Information For any questions regarding Camp Magruder Programs, please contact Shane Bryan at 301-985-5065 or sbryan@hyattsville.org.
FORWARD, MARCH! THE 128TH ANNIVERSARY PARADE STEPS OFF ON APRIL 5TH The City’s 128th Anniversary Parade will step off from Hyattsville Middle School, 6001 42nd Avenue, on Saturday, April 5 at 11 AM, and follow 42nd Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Hamilton Street until it reaches the reviewing stage at Magruder Park. We’re looking for groups of all ages and sizes to participate! We’d love to see your community groups, church groups, scouts, school and other youth groups, classic cars, marching bands, majorettes, step teams, fire & police units. So gather your friends and make banners, flags and t-shirts; decorate bikes, wagons and baby strollers; build a float that represents your group and join in the fun! To participate in the parade, please complete the online Parade Participant Form found at www.hyattsville.org/parade.
AGELESS GRACE CLASSES – NEW SEMESTER UNDERWAY Ageless Grace is a low impact exercise program for mind and body and consists of 21 simple exercises designed to improve healthy longevity. The exercises are designed to be performed in a chair and almost anyone can benefit from them, regardless of most physical conditions. And did we mention? It’s also great fun! Classes meet on Fridays at the Magruder Park Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street and cost just $2 per class. The current semester runs through March. For more information or to register, please call 301/985-5058 or email
Emily Stowers at estowers@hyattsville.org.
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR YARD WASTE COLLECTION There is no Yard Waste collection, City-wide, during the following holiday weeks: February 17, due to the Presidents’ Day holiday and May 26, due to the Memorial Day holiday. There are no other changes to the collection schedule at this time.
BUILDING BRIDGES BOOK CLUB The next meeting of the City’s Book Club will be on Thursday, February 13. We meet from 7:30 to 9 PM in the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. The Book Club was founded to build community by exploring cultural differences through literature and open conversation. We also see the occasional film. This month, we will be discussing Part II, “The Plantocrat,” of Andrea Stuart’s Sugar in the Blood: A Family’s Story of Slavery and Empire. While reading the book is not necessary, the discussion will be drawn from this section of Stuart’s work. All are welcome, regardless of literacy level, educational attainment, or any other characteristic. The event is free and open to the public. Questions? Please call Council Member Robert Croslin at 240/460-1827.
JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDC The Accelerating Connections to Employment (ACE) Career Navigator program through the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, Workforce Services Division, is accepting applications for their Certified Nursing Assistant Program. Classes begin in April, and training, books, and supplies are all free of cost after meeting eligibility requirements and random selection. For more information call Cheryl Hills at 301-362-1419, 301-362-9708 or email chills@co.pg.md.us.
NEWS FROM OUR GATEWAY ARTS DISTRICT NEIGHBORS: JOE’S MOVEMENT EMPORIUM UPCOMING EVENTS Joe’s Movement Emporium presents its February 2014 schedule. Questions? Visit www.joesmovement.org or call 301/699-1819. Joe’s is located at 3309 Bunker Hill Road in Mount Rainier. Celebrate African-American History 2014 Saturday, February 22 at 8 PM Soul in Motion celebrates the richness of the African-Ameriacan culture in the group’s unique energetic style of African Dance & Drum. Traditional choreography and rhythms from Senegal and Guinea will be the highlight of the night.
APRIL ANNIVERSARY CARNIVAL SCHEDULE The City’s Anniversary Carnival takes place from Thursday, April 3 - Sunday, April 6 in Magruder Park this Spring! Hours are as follows:
Page HR2
CALENDAR February/March 2014 Wednesday, February 12
Council Work Session (FY15 Budget), 8 to 10 PM
Friday, February 14
Ageless Grace Exercise Class, 10 - 11 AM Magruder Park Recreation Center
IN OTHER NEWS...
PARENT & CHILD DANCE PARTY GOES UNDER THE SEA
Camp Magruder summer registration opens Feb. 18
Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
Saturday, February 15 Thursday, April 3, 4 - 9 PM Friday, April 4, 5 - 10 PM Saturday, April 5, 12 Noon - 10 PM Sunday, April 6, 12 Noon - 5 PM The event will feature carnival amusements for the whole family! Rides, games & food concessions by Taylor & Sons Amusement Rides, free family games tent on Saturday, live music featuring The Fabulous Bel Airs on Saturday from 6 to 8 PM, appearances by Mandy the Clown Saturday & Sunday, a FREE Teen Dance on Friday, April 4 from 8 – 10 PM with music & videos by Spin City Productions and fun photos by Annapolis Photo Booth. Fireworks return on Saturday, April 5 at dusk. Bring a blanket & all of your friends to Magruder Park and enjoy a spectacular fireworks show to cap off the Festival! Questions? Please contact the Department of Community Services by phone at 301-985-5021 or email to ceverhart@hyattsville.org. Interested in Volunteering? Contact Colleen Aistis at 301-985-5057 or email caistis@hyattsville.org for information on volunteering for the Anniversary Festival and other volunteer activities.
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS – WAYS TO WATCH The community is always welcome to attend City Council meetings in person, at 4310 Gallatin Street. City residents can also watch the meetings from home on Comcast (Channel 71) or Verizon (Channel 12), either live or on rebroadcast. The rebroadcast schedule is as follows: 7 AM, 1 PM, and 8 PM seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. We typically rebroadcast the most recent Council Meeting. Meetings can also be streamed live at www.hyattsville.org/meetings. Questions? Comments? Please talk to Jonathan Alexander, the City’s cable coordinator, at jalexander@hyattsville. org or 301/985-5028.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR MAGRUDER WOOD RESTORATION Join us for non-native invasive removals in Magruder Woods on the third Saturday of every month, year-round, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Work is led by Dr. Marc Imlay, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning. Upcoming dates include Saturday, February 15 and March 15. Please dress for the elements – long-sleeves, long pants and sturdy boots or shoes. Questions? Contact Colleen Aistis, caistis@hyattsville.org or 301/985-5057. Participation helps to satisfy State of Maryland Student Service Learning requirements.
UPDATES FROM WSSC – IS WORK PLANNED FOR YOUR STREET? Looking for updates on WSSC projects in your neighborhood? Use their maps to see the status of current projects. Maps can be accessed on WSSC’s website: http://gisweb. wsscwater.com/InYourNeighborhood/
CAR SEAT SAFETY CHECKS Got kids? Then you’ve got car seats! Maryland law requires all children under the age of eight to ride in an appropriate safety seat. But the seat alone is
Volunteer Opportunity: Magruder Woods non-native invasive removal, 9 AM - 1 PM Magruder Park
Tuesday, February 18
Camp Magruder: Registration Opens for Summer Sessions, 9 AM City Council Meeting, 8 - 10 PM
Friday, February 21
Ageless Grace Exercise Class, 10 - 11 AM Magruder Park Recreation Center
Saturday, February 22
Under the Sea: Parent & Child Dance, 5 - 7 PM
Wednesday, February 26
Council Work Session (FY15 Budget), 8 - 10 PM
Friday, February 28
Ageless Grace Exercise Class, 10 - 11 AM Magruder Park Recreation Center
Monday, March 3
Council Meeting, 8 - 10 PM
Tuesday, March 4
Board of Supervisors of Elections Meeting, 4 - 5 PM
Friday, March 7
Ageless Grace Exercise Class, 10 - 11 AM Magruder Park Recreation Center
Wednesday, March 12
Council Work Session (FY15 Budget), 8 - 10PM Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. not enough - proper installation is the key to keeping our littlest passengers safe. Despite our best efforts, estimates suggest that as many as seven out of ten kids are not buckled in properly. The City of Hyattsville’s Police Department can help. To schedule a safety seat check, please contact Sergeant Christine Fekete at 301/9855060 or via email to cfekete@hyattsville.org. She’ll be happy to help parents install a new seat or improve the fit of your current equipment. Car Seat Safety Checks aren’t just for new parents, either. Consider calling when your child transitions from an infant to a toddler seat, or when you buy a new vehicle and transfer your seats from your old car. Checks are free of charge for any City of Hyattsville resident.
NIXLE The City is now using Nixle to send public safety alerts and information via both email and text message. This system replaces the SafeCity website previously in use. Many of our neighboring jurisdictions also use Nixle to send out information. Please note at Nixle won’t report on every incident – typically alerts are sent when the HCPD needs to alert the public to a potentially dangerous situation, or when we are asking for your help solving a crime. In other cases, Nixle messages relate to road closures, power outages, etc. If you have a nixle.com account, there is no need to create a new one. Simply log in and add the City of Hyattsville to your wire. New to Nixle? Register at www.nixle.com or enroll using the widget online at http:// www.hyattsville.org/stayinformed.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
CALENDAR
continued from page 7
March 2
The Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation presents Celebrating Our Heritage, a concert of Negro spirituals and gospel music featuring recording artist VaShawn Mitchell, the Community Choir, and other performers. Free. 5 to 7 p.m. Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s Dekelboum Concert Hall, University of Maryland. 301.405.1244.
March 7 to 9
What will you be wearing to the War of 1812 bicentennial festivities? In the spirit of the era, you can make your own Regency-style Spencer jacket at Riversdale House Museum’s Spencer Weekend. Local costume historian Ann Wass leads the sessions, which will be 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. $50 registration fee due by February 28. Some materials required; email riversdale@ pgparks.com for details. 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420.
March 12
What was a A Soldier’s Life
like like during the War of 1812? Find out in this free program, which covers military discipline, 18th-century combat and more. Reservations required; Space is limited. Free. 1 p.m. Battle of Bladensburg Visitors Center, 4601 Annapolis.
Ongoing
On Fridays through March 7, seniors can participate in Ageless Grace, a fitness and wellness program designed to improve healthy longevity. Almost anyone can do these 21 simple exercises, which can be performed while sitting. $2 per session. 10 to 11 a.m. Magruder Park Recreation Building, 3911 Hamilton Street. 301.985.5058 or estowers@ hyattsville.org. Community Calendar is a select listing of events happening in and around Hyattsville from the 15th of the issue month to the 15th of the following month. To submit an item for consideration, please e-mail susie@ hyattsvillelife.com or mail to P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for March submissions is February 28.
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Put down the cards and find a place to lend a hand Dear Auntie,
I retired a year ago and am having trouble filling my days. I play cards once a week and I used to love shopping, but on a limited retirement income that opportunity is severely restricted. I want more. Any ideas? Bored on Buchanan Street Listen up, all you recently retired folk: It’s time to shutdown the computer solitaire and get started on the next chapter of your life. An excellent way to fill your extra hours is to volunteer to help others in the community. With a volunteer job, you have the satisfaction of serving others, meeting new people and perhaps doing things you’ve never done before. There are lots of volunteer opportunities right here in Hyattsville. Here is just a sample. The Hyattsville Library uses volunteers to shelve books. A library volunteer chooses the number of hours and the time and dates of when he or she can volunteer. And the work isn’t difficult: Auntie has been doing it for years! Stop by the library at 6530 Adelphi Road and fill out an application. Schools use volunteers too. Hyattsville Elementary, for example, now needs volunteers who can tutor first and second graders in reading and math
during school hours. For details, call Mosi Harrington at 301.779.6213. Hyattsville Aging in Place (HAP) the all-volunteer organization that helps older Hyattsville residents also needs volunteers now. There is an acute need for volunteers who can drive during the day, HAP says, because there are many, many calls for rides to medical appointments. Those who volunteer are not committing to any particular task. When a driver is needed, HAP puts out an email request to all volunteers to find one that is available and willing to serve that day and time. To learn more, call 301.887.3101 or email hapcares@gmail.com. Another local organization that makes use of volunteers is the Hospice of the Chesapeake, an organization that provides health care, with a focus on palliative care, to the terminally ill in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties. Patient-care volunteers provide companionship to patients and a respite for their caregivers. There are other volunteer jobs too, such as organizing fundraising, administrative support, and providing counseling to grieving family members. Volunteers must first undergo a training course. You can learn a lot more about the Hospice of the Chesapeake (and download an application) at its terrific Web site at www.hospicechesapeake.org.
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Potential volunteers can also call 301.499.4500. Our local churches also need volunteers for the good works they do. Every Thursday, St. Jerome’s Cafe serves about 50 hot home-cooked lunches in the parish Gold Room (5205 43rd Avenue). The cafe, which started in 1991, is staffed and run by teams of volunteers who shop, cook, deliver and serve the meal on a rotating basis. To join them or donate food-pantry items, please contact Terry Enfield at 301.864.9260 or tenfield@kkblaw.com. The Lutheran Mission Society operates the Compassion Center at Redeemer Lutheran Church (3799 East West Highway), which offers food, used clothing, housewares and other items, as well as spiritual support to folks in need. Michelle Brinson, the project’s coordinator, said there is always a need for volunteers, especially on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Among the chores for volunteers are cleaning donated housewares, packing food, and sorting clothes. The program also has “greeters” at the front door. When not greeting customers, volunteers “can sit there and knit or play Sudoku or whatever,” Brinson said. “It’s not excruciating.” Those interested in volunteering should call Brinson at 301.277-2302, ext. 22. The First United Methodist Church has a need for volunteers at its immigration clinic, which offers immigrants legal services, education, and advocacy on the second Saturday of the month. Volunteers greet clients, fill out intake forms, and chat with them as they wait to see attorneys. Being bilingual is not required but is helpful. To volunteer, call Cindy Harding at 301.927.6133. The city of Hyattsville uses volunteers in a variety of positions, from helping with city events to removing non-native invasive plants from city parks. Colleen Aistis, volunteer coordinator for the city, said the city places volunteers in positions appropriate to each volunteer. So no need to worry about heavy lifting. The city will find a place for you! Call the volunteer office at 301.985.5057.
Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
Page 9
HYATTSVILLE VACUUM CLEANER SERVICE
SecondhandNews
New thrift store widens the local treasure hunt by Lauren Flynn Kelly
Growing up outside New York City, I spent many a weekend scouring the antique clothing stores of the East Village for that perfectly worn-in vintage T-shirt or a faux fur coat fit for one of the Isley Brothers. But it was the consignment shops in and around my quaint New Jersey hometown where I picked up some of my favorite scores, like a Fair Isle wool sweater that I still wear to this day or a pair of vintage Charles David riding boots that I eventually sold on eBay. And since those local spots weren’t paying big-city rent, I still had some babysitting money left over. That’s why I love where we live. On one of our many local thrift stores’ 50-percent-off days, I can pick up an entire spring wardrobe for my kids for $20! Or a set of cherry dining chairs in need of a little wood glue and polish for a fair price. So imagine my delight when Sarah’s Treasures opened in December right on Baltimore Avenue (5307, next to Mastertax). Owner Sarah Petrus says she built up her inventory for the store by picking up unwanted treasures at local storage unit auctions. She would first unload the stuff at yard sales, but Petrus says she’d always loved going to thrift stores and it was her dream to someday open one of her own.
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“I decided to open up in this area because it’s building up a lot, it’s nice and it’s safe. Plus, it’s the Arts District, and we [carry] a lot of art,” says the Riverdale Park resident. The new store benefits the Arts District as well, she adds, because it fills a space that was vacant for more than two decades. Though presently in a monthto-month lease, Petrus says she has the option of signing a longer-term lease once the business takes off and so far, things are going well. After about six weeks of being open, donations started pouring in, most of the items in
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good condition, she says. The store sells books, DVDs, furniture, housewares, clothes and more. And it’s a large enough space that she can use about half of it for storage and still keep the other half organized and easy to navigate. There’s even a little toy room in the front that contains children’s books and electronics. Another thrift store, Fecosasa, remains at the The Shops at Crittenden Crossing (4806 Rhode Island Avenue). I’ve popped in there on occasion and found nice SECONDHAND continued on page 12
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Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
ROBBERY
continued from page 1
But the Adelphi Road house is listed as a rental property with the city of Hyattsville. And the HL&T has learned that after the new tenants moved in last fall, they began regularly hosting — and charging for — house shows with as many as five bands per night. Since September, there have been at least eight events, including 22 bands. Invitations were public and sent through social media to hundreds of potential guests. A Facebook page for Hostage House, which lists the residential address, describes it as a “DIY music/arts space currently booking spring 2014.” A typical evening would showcase four or five bands, both local and touring, and a flat admission fee of $3 to $7 per person. The music is described variously as indie, post-rock, pop punk and “twinkly math rock”; bands have names like The Joint Chiefs of Math, I Kill Giants and Neck First. Signs on the two doors facing Adelphi Road directed paying customers to a lower-level side door. “Every night I hear bands playing,” said Linda Thompkins, who lives on Rutgers Street across from that entrance. “They start practicing between 9 and 9:30 and are usually still going when I go to bed at 11 or 12. I thought it was a practice house for the University of Maryland band.” At least two of the four people whose names are on the lease have performed with their bands at the house parties. The residents are all in their 20s, and at least one is a student at the University of Maryland. One is a recent graduate. None agreed to talk to the HL&T about the crime.
PHOTO BY ETHAN HANSEN Less than a week after this January 30 concert in a University Hills garage, featuring Neck First and four other bands, armed robbers broke into the house. The residents have canceled all future concerts there.
“Honestly, we’re all very shaken and would like this to be put to rest as soon as possible,” wrote one man, contacted through Facebook. “Everyone is OK, and we would really appreciate some privacy on this matter.” It seems that the house is about to get a lot more private. Three shows had been scheduled for February and March, featuring more than a dozen bands and, in one case, an art exhibit. But on February 8, organizers announced that they were looking for other venues for those events. “All future shows at our house are canceled,” they posted on the Hostage House Facebook page. “[We are] so unbelievably heartbroken and sorry but this is entirely out of our hands. We
no longer feel the house is a safe space and the authorities have asked us to cease all activity.” That request was likely inevitable. Since the neighborhood is zoned for single-family houses, any business being operated from a residence there would require a license. Several, in fact, beginning with a Use and Occupancy Permit (U&O) from Prince George’s County. Businesses that want to host live music need a Special Entertainment Permit. Businesses that want to host live music with dancing need an additional permit from the county. The city of Hyattsville, too, requires businesses within city limits to have a license. “You can’t operate a business in
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Hyattsville without first getting a U&O from the county,” said Code and Parking Compliance Manager Chris Giunta. And, he added, “having a live band regularly performing in your home is an indication that you’re probably running a business.” “I’m amazed that they’ve been able to fly under the radar for so long,” said Ward 3 Councilmember Tim Hunt, who lives two blocks away. “It sounds like they’re doing something fun. But this belongs in a warehouse somewhere, not in a residential neighborhood.” An Adelphi Road neighbor who requested anonymity said that “when they have parties, cars are lined up and down the street, in front of my house and on the side streets.” He said that he can’t hear the music, but he has been woken up by departing guests “talking and slamming car doors.” Guests were urged to bring their own drinks and park across Adelphi Road in the St. Mark’s lot, an arrangement that was news to the pastor there. “I’m appalled that people would abuse the parking lot in this way,” said Rev. Roberto Cortés-Campos. “It’s a private property. If a
group wants to use the parking lot, they would need to talk to us about it first.” Organizers sought to minimize potential disturbances to the neighborhood. Most of the invitation pages prominently list rules for guests, such as: no littering, “be quiet and respectful while you’re outside[,] stay OFF the front/side lawns, OFF of Adelphi Road, and don’t hang out in the parking lot.” Another Facebook posting states that they don’t want people at their New Year’s Eve party with fireworks or drugs, or those who might “disrespect or otherwise damage our house or stuff, make other people feel uncomfortable, [or] disturb our AMAZINGLY kind neighbors.” They seem to have succeeded, to some extent. Though HCPD officers were called to the house twice before (a noise complaint in October, a car stolen during a November 3 Halloween party), Purvis confirmed that the police only learned about the residents’ entrepreneurial side in interviews after the recent crime. The armed robbery was widely reported and caused reverberations in the community — especially after a security-system company went door-to-door in the neighborhood hours after it happened. Although police have not disclosed a motive for the crime, some nearby residents speculated that the widely publicized cash-only concerts may have suggested the target to the thieves. Others took a broader view of the crime in light of what they saw as part of a trend. “My perspective goes beyond just this single event,” said Ron Pedone, president of the University Hills Civic Association. “In the last two years, there have been 56 crimes reported in University Hills alone — assaults, burglaries, break-ins. What’s going on here?” Hunt was somewhat reassured to hear that the police think the house was not selected at random. Still, he said, “Whether random or targeted, it’s certainly distressing. It affects all of us when armed robbers are breaking into houses when people are home.”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
Page 11
ParentingPerspectives
Polar Vortex parenting by Kevin Blackerby
Is it just me or have we had a lot of snow days recently? And by a lot, I mean the amount that makes my wife shout at the radio, “You have got to be kidding me! Closed again?!” She does this in the morning while I’m still sleeping, which makes it extra special. Between snowfalls and cold temperatures that only Canucks would be comfortable in, we have had a heck of a winter. Prince George’s county covers over 400 square miles so ice in Accokeek can cause headaches in Hyattsville when the Prince George’s County Public School system errs on the side of caution. And errs, and errs, and errs. No parent will forget the unscheduled sixday weekend we had this January. Lately, I don’t know which has taken more of a hit from having the Blackerby boys home day
SUSIE CURRIE The forecast for January 21 closed most school systems and the federal government. But D.C. streets were still clear at 1 p.m.
after day — my leave time or my sanity. So what do you do when faced
with another full day of activities for the kids while “working” from home? Never fear: The next time Mother Nature comes calling here are some sure-fire Blackerby-household approved ways of keeping your little ones entertained while maintaining household bliss. The first thing you must do is figure out who is going to stay home. When faced with this decision, my wife and I play “rock, paper, scissors.” We have found this to be the easiest way to decide, and besides, my wife always does rock first. In 11 years of marriage, always rock. Figure out your partner’s pattern and you’re halfway there. If you are the one staying home, start out by explaining to your children how things were much different when you were young. These stories are best if you begin them with, “When I was your age…”. For example, “When I was your age, we
City of Hyattsville FY15 Budget Process The following is the schedule of City Council Meetings and Public Hearings for the development, discussion, and adoption of the FY15 budget. All meetings and work sessions begin at 8 PM unless otherwise noted, and will meet at 4310 Gallatin Street, Third Floor Council Chambers. FEBRUARY Wednesday, February 12 Council Work Session - Council Budget Priorities / OPEB Discussion
Wednesday, April 16 Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget/Council Work Session – Budget (Follow Up Items)
Wednesday, February 26 Council Work Session – Introduction of Draft Budget
Wednesday, April 30 Special Council Meeting – Deadline for Council Budget Amendments
MARCH Wednesday, March 12 Public Hearing on Tax Rate (7 PM) Council Work Session – Budget (8 PM)
MAY Wednesday, May 14 Special Council Meeting - Budget
Wednesday, March 26 Council Work Session – Budget (Departmental Review/Discussion) APRIL Wednesday, April 2 Council Work Session – Budget (Departmental Review/Discussion)
Wednesday, May 28 Special Council Meeting – Budget Ordinance Adoption Date The City’s FY15 Budget will take effect on July 1, 2014. FY15 concludes on June 30, 2015. www.hyattsville.org/FY15
didn’t take school off. We walked through snow three feet deep uphill both ways to go to school. We went to school every day, weekends and nights too, and most holidays.” Make sure to embellish as much as possible. I usually include a wildlife encounter of some kind, like a polar bear or muskrat attack, just to liven them up. Games are always a good way to pass the time. We like to play a game I invented called Hide and Hide. It’s like Hide and Seek, only they hide and I don’t seek. We play this around nap time. I give them a 30-minute head start. Eventually, I’ll drape a blanket over them when I happen to spot them slumped behind the La-Z-Boy. That’s two birds with one stone. You’re welcome. Another favorite activity of ours is to learn a new song. This is a fun and energetic exercise as you can learn the song while dancing around the house. It can also take up twice as much time if you are like me and are not that careful picking songs. Our last song was “Timber,” by Pitbull and Ke$ha.
We learned that one in the morning and then spent the afternoon unlearning it after Mommy got home and really read the lyrics. Still have some time to fill? Go outside and play! This activity eats up crazy amounts of time, since it takes no less than 45 minutes to get them ready in their snow gear, only to spend 15 minutes sledding down the hill at Hyattsville Middle School before we pack it in because they need to use the restroom. Repeat as necessary, and at the end of the day remind yourself about how much you appreciate your children’s teachers and caregivers. I know I do. Polar Vortex, I can’t say I have enjoyed your stay. But I do think that you would make a heck of a name for a band. Kevin Blackerby lives in Hyattsville with his wife and two young boys. When he is not working at his day job for a nonprofit, he is a stand-up comedian, serious birthday-party planner, and all around silly dad. He is one of several Hyattsville parents who will be writing columns on a rotating basis.
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DON’T MISS OUT! For more information or to register, please visit www.hyattsville.org/camps
Page 12
Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
secondhand
continued from page 9
kids’ clothes with the tags still on them. They also have a wide array of $2 DVDs, small electronics and accessories — even the occasional wedding dress on consignment. But the space is small and cramped, and gets a lot less foot traffic than stores in the Arts District. Fecosasa retail associate Jay Banks says the business is more concerned about its “dead end� location than a new thrift store in town. Banks says he and Fecosasa owner Caroline Sirri, who opened the shop two years ago, are hoping that the vacant retail spaces around the store — including the planned Art Works project — will soon get filled. “The economy’s been tough; I’m not gonna lie,� said Banks. “But we’re determined to stay here to see this area elevated.� Regarding her competition down the street, Petrus says having another store nearby just
increases shoppers’ chances of finding that perfect treasure. “Ours is a little bit bigger and more organized. Everyone does their own thing. She has nice things, but you have to dig. And people like doing that. Maybe I have something that she doesn’t have, or maybe she has something that I don’t have.� While there’s nothing in particular that Petrus says Sarah’s Treasures is looking to acquire more of, I highly encourage the families of Hyattsville to consider donating their gently used toys and baby clothes to this store, as the toy room could use some padding out and the kids’ clothes are likely to go fast. Happy hunting! Lauren Flynn Kelly lives in Hyattsville with her husband and two little girls. She works from home writing for a Washington, D.C., newsletter publisher and has written about everything from soap operas to sailing. Secondhand News is her love letter to thrifting, repurposing and the thrill of finding hidden treasures in and around Hyattsville.
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rosanna landis weaver The youngest volunteer honored at Hyattsville Aging in Place’s first annual Volunteer Appreciation and Anniversary Celebration was 5-year-old Claire Alolga, who holds here the chocolate rose she received at the event. Claire serves as “co-pilot� when her mother, Suzanne, volunteers with driving duties for senior residents of the town. According to her mother, Claire “holds purses, opens doors and gets hard candy� as part of her volunteer efforts. The event was held in the municipal building on February 8.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
CALVERT
continued from page 1
enue restaurant for more than three decades. Fereydoun and his brother purchased the restaurant in 1980 from George Greer, took down the large chicken out front that signified the fried chicken emphasis, and turned the focus to seafood and steaks. The brothers originally came to the United States from their native Iran for college in the early 1970s. Their father had spent time here and “fallen in love with the country” and was determined that all his children would be educated in America. While they were attending school, however, the Iranian revolution brought the Ayatollah Khomeini to power and so the Salimis stayed here. Fereydoun had been working at restaurants while in college and knew a little about the business, so though his degree was in mathematics, decided to try his hand at being a chef and restaurant owner. For a long time it worked well: “On February 14, it will be 33 years,” says Fereydoun. But instead of celebrating that Valentine’s Day anniversary, the Salimis are moving to California. When asked why they are departing after such a long run, Susan explains, “My dear, sixteen hours of work day is a little bit stressful.” While sheer exhaustion is a
Page 13
component of the explanation, it was the brutal financial realities of the restaurant business during the recession that created the timing for the departure. At one point, the family had owned the three connected properties between Lynn Animal Hospital and the dental offices on the corner. In 2006, Fereydoun bought out his brother’s half of the business and made several improvements. Hard times and increased competition made it more and more difficult to make the payments on the debts he had taken out. Susan notes that during the recession, “We lost so much and worked harder than ever.” Eventually they went so far into debt that they lost the property to foreclosure and it was purchased by Diversified Lending LLC, in 2012. Michael Amann, an executive at Diversified, says the hope at the time was that the Salimis would be able to continue to operate the restaurant. He granted the Salimis a one-year lease for two of the properties (the third has been remodeled and just opened as Ivy Salon) and then a month-to-month lease. Though it has been some months since the restauranteurs were able to pay him rent, Amann has nothing but the highest regard for them. “You couldn’t have asked for someone who worked harder.”
Yet the hard work was not enough to maintain the restaurant in the fact of a difficult economy and changing tastes. As it became clear that it was time for the family to move on they searched for a buyer to take over the business. Among those working with them was former Riverdale Park mayor Michael Herman who had known the family for more than 20 years, both from his positions in city government and as a patron of the restaurant. “I’ve enjoyed their food for two decades,” he said. Herman, an attorney, worked with the family in negotiating, facilitating and structuring a deal with potential purchasers of the business that was scheduled to close on December 9. Unfortunately, the purchasers suffered a personal crisis that prevented them from closing the deal as scheduled. Herman did the work pro bono because he knew the loss would be “to the detriment of our community. This restaurant that has been around for 50 years and has served governors, county executives. Thousands of people have enjoyed fabulous food.” Until the final days Fereydoun remained hopeful that the deal would come through, and in late January sent emails to the property owners asking for more time to attempt to complete the scheduled sale. “We were hoping . . ,” he says,
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and begins his sentence again, “If we had known this was going to end up this way . . . . “ But speaking of these difficulties he stops himself and concludes, “‘If this’ and ‘if that’ isn’t going to get us anywhere.” He shrugs. “At the end of the day this is their property and their decision.” Amann agrees that the situation is unfortunate. “He’s a good and honorable man and did everything he could possibly do. But sometimes the fates are against you.” The fates in this case included the economic times (including the recent government shutdown which caused a marked reduction in business), increased competition and changing tastes. “You don’t find a lot of white tablecloth restaurants [today],” noted College Park attorney Richard Daniels, who represented the Salemis and dined weekly at the Calvert House Inn with his family. “The market for that just isn’t supported anymore.” A glowing review of the restaurant in the Washington Post magazine in July 2013 was headlined, “Simplicity never goes out of style,” yet tastes in restaurants evolved from an appreciation of the classic, upscale to a more casual environment. Hyattsville resident Dr. Elizabeth Pfaffenroth, who first went to the restaurant with women from her church, notes that, “It was more a crowd of the old Hyattsville, it was never the new Hyattsville crowd.” Yet when Pfaffenroth was thinking about place to have a first date with a man she’d met on eHarmony, that was the location that came to mind. “Where’s a place that I could go to talk? [Calvert House Inn] was quiet and intimate. We met there and talked for so long that they were closing for the evening.” The couple ate there again the night they became engaged, had part of their wedding reception there, and in January dined there with their baby daughter. While there had been some changes in decor over the years, the atmosphere may have not been what some diners were looking for. Yet for some customers that was part of the
charm. Capitol Hill resident Rosemary Lally, whose son attends DeMatha, dined at the Calvert House Inn in December with Hyattsville friends. “I loved that place,” she said. “It was like stepping back in time.” Lally praised the food and also enjoyed the live piano playing. On his final day as chef, Fereydoun’s eyes shine as he recalls the good times and satisfied customers. His enthusiasm is obvious as he describes his joy when empty plates are returned to the kitchen with compliments to the chef. “Some people almost lick their plates,” he notes, “And they thank us and thank us. It is such a good feeling.” The thank yous turned to tears for some of the customers who visited the Calvert House Inn on February 1. Audrey Bragg, who has lived in Riverdale Park since 1970 describes the restaurant as the best in “this whole county” and the owners as “exceptional people.” She adds, “I could never figure out why the people in town don’t come often enough.” She recalls the time she brought her brother-in-law, who she describes as a world-travelling food snob, to the restaurant, and he found the food to be fabulous. “People who know restaurants appreciate [this place].” The Salemis are moving on, heading to California, where their daughter recently graduated from the University of California, San Diego and are looking forward to a fresh start. “Life is good,” says Salemi, “I’m sure we will be fine. “ However, the neighbors he leaves behind will continue to mourn the loss of what Herman notes, represents “the closing of an institution,” and consider the lessons it can teach. “As we start developing, the reality is that if new businesses come in, and are not supported by the local community they could go the same way as the Calvert House did except that they won’t have a 50 year run.” Herman concludes, “That’s a very important part of the message. You wax nostalgic about stuff when it’s gone and then wonder why did it happen. We are all sort of partly responsible for that coming to pass.”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | February 2014
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