A STREET pAvED WITh GREEN
AT ThE DRIvE-IN
Decatur Street in Edmonston is the greenest street on the East Coast, and maybe even the U.S. PAGE 3
Postcards from the Past talks about the days when drive-in movies and restaurants were popular in Hyattsville. PAGE 5
All work and all play by Krista Atteberry With less than one week on the job, Steve Yeskulsky, the city’s new Recreation and the Arts Director, hit the ground running by helping out at the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department’s 5-mile run on October 23. He was impressed with the more than 60 volunteers and the community spirit at the first annual event, in which dozens of runners ages 10 to 75 competed. Before coming to Hyattsville, Yeskulsky served as a program coordinator for six years with Florida’s Sarasota County Government Parks and Recreation Department, where he “did a thousand things . . . including mostly overseeing larger special events.” Originally from San Diego, he graduated from San Diego State University with two Bachelor of Arts degrees in art history and cultural anthropology. During his time in San Diego, he was instrumental in organizing an art exhibition, “Salon de San Diego,” to help raise funds for an AIDS charity. Yeskulsky also enjoys writing for the Parks & Rec Business magazine and is a certified Park and Recreation Professional and Playground Inspector. First on his agenda is getting acclimated to the area and meeting more folks in the community. Also, once the city council approves the city’s Parks Master Plan, which is expect-
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 43 Easton, MD 21601
dIrecTOr continued on page 12
IS ThAT TRASh OR TREASURE? Local residents get their heirlooms evaluated at Hyattsville’s version of the Antiques Roadshow. PAGE 2
Hyattsville Life&Times
Vol. 7 No. 11
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
Mall at Prince Georges area planning for new, major development by Paula Minaert
In the not-too-distant future, the area around the Mall at Prince Georges and Northwestern High School could look very different, because some major development projects are in the works there. Some of these projects are within the city’s borders and some fall just outside. All will have an impact on life in Hyattsville.
SPOOKY The city’s annual Halloween party drew about 200 people of all ages. MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 10
FEST
Where the wild things are by Fred Seitz
Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
November 2010
Hyattsville is frequently identified as an arts community, but there is also a community of wildlife that lives both in our parks and backyards. Some residents have actively worked to encourage this by participating in the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat program. NWF started the program in 1973 to help wildlife and “give people a way to connect with the natural world,” according to David Mizejewski, a NWF wildlife biologist. Since then, 135,000 homes across the country have been certified as wildlife habitats. Hyattsville has 23 of them. HaBITaT continued on page 12
fred seitz Nicola Hain’s small pond is part of a certified habitat.
1. The Landy Property
Landy is owned by Marvin Blumberg, a major developer in the Washington region. He owns a 33.94acre parcel of land located south of Northwestern High School and north of the mall. Most of this land is wooded and lies outside the city limits, except for a small portion at the northeast corner. The District Council – which is the arbiter for development in Prince George’s County − recently approved a Landy proposal for residential construction on part of that land: an apartment building of about 400 units that would be on the street line of Belcrest Road. The building would include the portion of land that is within the city. This has led to discussion on the city council of the city annexing the unincorporated portion so that the entire building would be in Hyattsville, said council member Tim Hunt (Ward 3). His ward borders the area of the proposed development and includes the portion within the city. This is Phase One of the project and deVelOPMenT continued on page 13
Included: The November 10, 2010 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section
Page 2
Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
FromTheEditor
Jewels or junk? Residents get an answer by Paula Minaert What’s in your house? A Tiffany lamp? A Chippendale chair? An unknown Turner painting? Or did that teapot come from 1960s Indiana and not 18th-century China, as your grandmother said? Area residents searched through their homes in response to this question for the Hyattsville Preservation Association’s own Antiques Roadshow-type event on October 30 in the Municipal Building’s multipurpose room. Thomas Weschler of Weschler’s Auction & Appraisal Services brought his professional expertise to the occasion. The event, which raised money for HPA, limited each person to two items and
a community newspaper chronicling the life and times of Hyattsville Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, Md 20781 Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community Newspaper, Inc., a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation. Interested reporters should send their e-mail addresses to the editor to be reminded of deadlines and receive internal news. Articles and news submitted may be edited. The deadline is the last week of the month for the following month’s issue. Letters to the editor and opinions are encouraged. For all e-mail correspondence with HL&T: news, features, tips, advertising and business write to hyattsvillelifeandtimes@gmail.com. To submit articles, letters to the editor, etc., e-mail susie@hyattsvillelife.com. executive editor Paula Minaert paula@hyattsvillelife.com 301.335.2519 Managing editor Susie Currie susie@hyattsvillelife.com 301.633.9209
prohibited antiquities, books, foreign coins, stamps and firearms. That left plenty of other categories, though. As people waited for their numbers to be called, they walked around and checked out what others had unearthed. Will Parkhurst, who lives on Farragut Street, held up two six-inch long shells (gun shells, not seashells). “My grandfather brought these back as souvenirs from Europe after World War I. We used them as paperweights for a while. I’m just curious about them, but they’re probably junk.” Doug Dudrow, longtime city councilmember for Ward 1, showed me a landscape. “This is chalk, I think. I get stuff at estate sales and auctions.” Carol Kinzer, mother of Hyattsville resident Debbie Simmons, came from Annapolis for the event and brought a lamp. “It doesn’t look like much until you turn it on,” she said. “But now look.” A drawing of trees etched on the glass shone softly through. “Isn’t that pretty?” Another person, Peggy Gugliuzza, came from Delaware at the invitation of her daughter-in-law Melanie. She cradled a doll in her arms, which she said had been her mother’s. “It was made in Germany, I think in the 1880s. See, her head is porcelain. And her arms and legs, even her hands and feet, they all bend. They don’t make them like this now.” “Did you play with her when you were a child?” I asked. “Oh no, I wasn’t allowed to. It sat on a shelf. I call her Goldie. I just love her.” Debbie Franklin lugged in a table and four chairs. “I just want to know if they’re
Krista atteberry At the Hyattsville Preservation Association’s recent appraisal day, Thomas Weschler of Weschler’s Auction & Appraisal Services discusses the six-inch shells Will Parkhurst brought while HPA President Kimberly Schmidt looks on.
worth what I paid for them, years ago,” she told me. “I was told the table was 1790 and the chairs about 1810.” I had brought two tea sets to be appraised. My husband’s great-grandparents had brought one over from Ireland, with shamrocks painted on it. The other set came from my grandparents’ house, and was pink and white with gold rims. The word “Nippon” was written on the bottom of each piece. As each person walked away from the table after consulting with Mr. Weschler, the others would come up and ask what the verdict was.
Production Ashley Perks advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234 Writers & contributors Victoria Hille Valerie Russell Kimberly Schmidt Hugh Turley Board of directors Julia Duin - President Chris Currie - Vice President Joseph Gigliotti - General Counsel Paula Minaert - Secretary Peggy Dee Susie Currie - Ex Officio Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. Mail to every address in Hyattsville. Additional copies are distributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the city. Total circulation is 8,000. Hl&T is a member of the national newspaper association.
Krista atteberry Doug Dudrow with his 1910-era pastel.
“My shells are a novelty,” said Will Parkhurst. “Not worth much. But I don’t care.” Doug Dudrow told the group, “This is a pastel, American, from about 1910. Not worth too much.” “Will you sell it?” Gloria Thompson asked him. “No.” “If you have a break-in at your house, you know where to look,” she told him. “I love this picture.” Debbie Franklin discovered that her table was a reproduction, made not in 1790 but in 1880. “But it is worth what I paid for it.” I was disappointed in what I learned about my two tea sets. Bob’s family legend must have been mistaken, because the shamrock set was made in the 1920s – even though the family came over before 1900. And the Japanese set, while it was made in the late 19th century, wouldn’t fetch much, either. “It’s actually a dessert set,” Weschler told me. “See, these are berry dishes. But people don’t entertain like they used to. And they don’t want to hand wash anything.” HPA president Kimberly Schmidt had brought in a framed map done in needlepoint. “Well, it’s as cheap as I thought. But that’s all right. My children’s great-grandmother made it as part of her exam to become a teacher in Canada. That’s worth a lot to me.” She’d also brought a silver and blue brooch, which she said she was happy to know she could wear without worry. Claudia Ferguson had to fight airport customs officials to keep the item she
brought. She said that when she visited Cuba, her aunt gave her a bronze statue of a little girl standing on a chair, which had been in her family for generations. “Customs said it was an antique and belonged to the government of Cuba, but I kept arguing with them.
“My grandfather brought these back ... after World War I. We used them as paperweights for a while.” — Will Parkhurst Farragut Street They called in different three people, but finally let me keep it.” Stuart Eisenberg was pleased to find out that his print wasn’t worth very much. “It’s a page from a book that someone framed. But I’ve been trying to get my brother to give me the mate to it, and he’s always said no because he thought it was valuable. Now I can tell him it’s not.” In total, 32 tickets had been sold. Weschler said that that was the best he’d seen for a first-time event. He also said that the items brought in ranged in value from $5 to $2,500. (I’d missed that item somehow.) A final comment came from Fred Hille, who came from St. Mary’s County. “A good appraisal is about more than monetary value. It’s also about tradition.”
Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
Page 3
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Decatur Street goes green by Susie Currie A mayor who sees his town flood repeatedly — once leaving 56 homes underwater — may find silver linings hard to come by. But Edmonston mayor Adam Ortiz saw the situation as an opportunity. As one of the lowest areas in the region, said Ortiz, Edmonston gets storm-water runoff from not only its own parking lots and streets, but from neighboring towns like Hyattsville and Riverdale Park as well. The town is perched on the banks of the Anacostia River, but it was this runoff that caused the flooding. So when the time came to upgrade the town’s main thoroughfare, Decatur Street, he set about looking for ways to “build the street as responsibly and sustainably as possible.” The solution would need to address not only storm water, but insufficient lighting and sidewalks as well. Now, Edmonston boasts what the Environmental Protection Agency has called “the greenest street on the East Coast and possibly the U.S.” “We’re the only street that has incorporated so many features from top to bottom,” Ortiz said of the sevenblock stretch. The centerpiece: Tree boxes with rain gardens, which will direct an estimated 90 percent of storm water to the ground’s natural filtering system. The tree boxes double as bump-outs, slowing cars and making the street safer for bikers and walkers; new permeable paved bike lanes that The centerpiece: connect to local trails Tree boxes with rain are an added incengardens, which will tive to leave the car in the driveway. The direct an estimated expanded sidewalks, also permeable, are 90 percent of an ADA-compliant 3 storm water to the feet wide. ground’s natural New LED street filtering system. lights are wind-powered, and smaller, non-native trees have given way to native large-growth trees, such as willow oak and Southern magnolia, that will form a tree canopy. The project cost $1.3 million, 90 percent of which was covered by grants and federal stimulus funds. “We already had the money set aside in the budget, so we were going to do it no matter what,” said Ortiz, whose day job is deputy chief of staff for Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown. “But when the stimulus came, EPA officials were looking for shovel-ready projects,” and the process was far enough along to qualify.
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city of edmonston At last November’s green-street groundbreaking, Edmonston mayor Adam Ortiz was joined by, from right, Congresswoman Donna Edwards, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Edmonston council member Tracy Farrish and EPA official Dominique Leuckenhoff.
The Chesapeake Bay Trust funded a $25,000 engineering study, and soon other state and federal environmental partners had signed on. Design help came from local organizations like the Low Impact Development Center and the Neighborhood Design Center. Ortiz has been invited to speak about the project at the National Building Museum, a Maryland Municipal League conference, and the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, which is considering two bills that would fund similar infrastructure. Decatur Street has already inspired one neighboring town to build a similar street. Bladensburg officials have secured a $4 million grant from the Maryland State Highway Administration to be used on a .6-mile stretch of Route 450 running between the Peace Cross and Bladensburg Elementary. The EPA sponsored a design charette for the town on October 24. “We have learned so much from [Edmonston] about the design and implementation of such a project,” said Bladensburg town administrator John Moss. He said his town will expand on that model out of necessity: “Their roadway is two lanes. Ours is four, carrying 57,000 cars a day, and it’s fronted with retail and parking.” Ortiz hopes that more communities will follow Edmonston’s lead. “Our project alone will not save the Bay,” he said. “But it can be part of the solution.”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
MyTwoCents Giving thanks to the police by Shirley Fisher
Let’s give these police officers the support and respect they deserve. We never know when we may need them. had no trucks available. I called the HPD and within minutes three cars arrived. Officers Riggs, Harley and Nemser quickly corralled the dogs behind a fence. I watched one officer using his personal bottled water to cool one dog down while gently cradling the dog on his lap. I have gone on the holiday “Santa with a Badge” outing and felt proud of these officers and the care and compassion they showed to those kids facing a difficult holiday. I saw police officers reach into their own pockets to help these kids get the gifts they wanted when the donated gift cards weren’t enough. “Thanks” is not a big enough word. I watched Chief Holland trying to pair each child with an officer. Thanks to Cpl. Rudinski for putting it together; thanks to Sgt. Purvis and Lt. Roski for taking on a set of
I heard somewhere that in our climate, autumn is the time to transplant trees and woody shrubs. I am thinking of transplanting some rose bushes but a neighbor of mine vehemently insists that I have to wait till spring. She hasn’t given me any reasons other than that she knows it’s best. Please reassure me — tell me I can go ahead!
Dear Determined to Dig,
Photo courtesy of the city of hyattsVille Target employees Marissa Hamlet and Sean Donnelly with members of Hyattsville Police Department’s Community Action Team: Sgt. Suzie Johnson, Sgt. Chris Purvis, PFC Jimmy Denault, and Lt. Mark Roski.
twins from our intensive care unit who had many physical and developmental challenges. From Holland to the officer on the street, let’s remember that they put their lives on the line for us every day. In fact, the chief recently accepted an award from the local Target on behalf of his force; crime there is down more than 20 percent in two years. When I hear someone make negative comments about our police, or read negative comments in the paper, I want to ask these people: Who do you call first when you’re scared or feel unsafe? Who do you count on to know how to handle situations
that you’re unable to? Let’s give these police officers the support and respect they deserve. We never know when we may need them and they have to put their lives on the line for us. Will we sometimes disagree with them? Maybe — that’s life! Will they sometimes make mistakes? Maybe. They’re only human. But let’s support them and let them know we appreciate everything they do. If you see one on the street, just smile and say “Thanks!” I think they would like to know you are there for them just as they are there for you. Shirley Fisher has lived in Hyattsville since 1963.
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Could you possibly “dig” transplanting lilacs instead? Early fall is a good time to bury bulbs; divide peonies, irises and other perennials; and plant trees, shrubs and roses in pots that you’ve gotten half-price from a nursery. But you should wait to transplant established roses. Unlike your neighbor I can give you reasons. Roses often will bloom right up till frost, and you should never transplant anything in flower. It is important that they be completely dormant before you transplant them. Of course, there are always exceptions to any rule. I know of a family that decided to sell the home of a beloved grandmother after her passing, and wanted to distribute her decades-old rose bushes among themselves. The new owners were going to move in during the dog days of summer, so the family hired a landscaper who used a tree fork to move the roses without disturbing their root systems. That,
however, was an act of desperation. Now, if you want to be one up on your neighbor, you can inform her she is wrong on one point: The best time to transplant roses is not spring but late winter. Late February or early March is good, depending on when the ground thaws in any given year. You may possibly remember a much earlier column in which a gardener asked me when to give roses their first pruning in spring. My advisor, Citizen Cane, informed me that the time to prune is when the forsythia on your block has bloomed, and not before. You want to take advantage of that fairly brief period between the time the soil softens and the rose bush comes out of dormancy. If you wait till the forsythia has bloomed, it is too late. You got me wondering why it is the custom in this area to plant trees in autumn rather than in the spring, before they leaf out. I asked an expert, Grover Arboretum, for the reason. He explained that a tree planted during our all-too-brief spring suffers considerable stress from our hot and often periodically dry summers while it is trying to get established. When planted (or transplanted) in autumn it has cool wet weather for settling in before going dormant. He recommends the last week of September through the first week of October for optimum results. To discuss this and other gardening topics, please come to the next meeting of the Hyattsville Horticultural Society at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 20, at the Municipal Center. Please email questions to floribundav@gmail.com.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
Page 5
POSTCARDS FROM THE PaST
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Drive-in movies, restaurants part of Hyattsville history by Peggy Dee My neighbors, Barbara Runion and Frank Yator, have been married for 17 years and both have lived most of their lives in Hyattsville. Frank attended the old Ager Road Elementary School, now Rosa Parks Elementary. There was an old rickety wooden foot bridge outside the school that terrified young Frank. Still vivid in Frank’s memory is the old Peoples Drug Store on Hamilton Street, where the post office is now. He used to buy his comic books there. Also on Hamilton Street was the very popular Pizza Pan Restaurant, which did a brisk neighborhood business. Barbara still cherishes memories of going to the Queens Chapel drive-in movie theater and the Mighty Mo Drive-In Restaurant, with its delicious pork BBQ sandwiches and tasty orange freezes. She purchased her first automobile, a Ford Maverick, at Palmer Ford, a dealership that was torn
near the gas station. Frank was a patron of the bowling alley on East-West Highway where the Giant grocery store is now. And neither of them will ever forget the flooding on East West Highway, below Prince George’s library of congress Plaza, from HurriPrince George’s Plaza in 1959 cane Agnes in 1972. When Frank and down in the late 1970s to make Barbara were growing up in our room for the West Hyattsville fair city, the neighborhood kids played together. Kickball, baseball, Metro Station. Both Frank and Barbara remem- football, bicycle riding, roller skatber the original Prince George’s ing and jumping rope were some Plaza, which was not enclosed. of the favorites. Frank loved to Christmas shopping in the wind, catch crayfish in the park streams. The old Hyattsville movie theater rain and snow made the holiday on Route 1 would sponsor a double season all the more festive. The area that is now the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station used Eleanor Pernia to be an open field with sand pits Studio of Dance where Frank played as a boy. He reest. 1962 members the carnivals held on Dance classes for all ages the northeast corner of the field,
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ers did not work outside the home. The kids did not have babysitters in those days and came home each evening to a home-cooked family meal. While Barbara and Frank are glad to be living today, with so many technological advances, they are happy that they grew up in Hyattsville “in the good old days” when life was much simpler and moved at a slower pace.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
Hyattsville Cyclocross
Photos by Valerie Russell More than 400 racers turned out for the second annual Hyattsville Cyclocross on October 10. The Magruder Park course featured obstacles (far right) requiring riders to dismount. Winners in several categories included (right), from left, Lesley Golenor, Laurel Larsen and Katy Curran.
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Page 7
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Through November 27
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See artwork composed of two or more media in All Mixed Up: A Juried Exhibition of Mixed Media Work. Held annually for artists who live, work, or study in Prince George’s County, this year’s show is juried by art collector Philippa Hughes. Exhibit is on display weekdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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November chaNges to the trash collectioN schedule SeaSonaL art WorKSHoP:
Pottery Painting Saturday, November 13th 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Paint a cup, bowl, or a set of 2 holiday ornaments with Color Me Mine
$20 fee covers pottery piece, supplies, and light refreshments. Reservations required. Call 301/985-5020. All ages welcome! Children must be accompanied by an adult. City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street www.hyattsville.org/recreation
1. There will be no Yard Waste pick up the weeks of Veterans Day (November 7) and Thanksgiving (November 21). 2. The week of Veterans Day, beginning November 7, trash pickup will occur a day earlier if your regularly scheduled day is Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Trash pickup for Friday will occur as usual. 3. The week of Thanksgiving, beginning November 21, trash pickup will occur a day earlier if your regularly scheduled day is Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Trash pickup regularly scheduled for Friday will occur on Saturday.
Visit hyattsville.org for more information.
Hyattsville R
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Hyattsville November 2010 2010 Hyattsville Life Life && Times Times || November
the
No. 204 • Novemb
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
GET READY TO LIGHT UP THE SKY! Judging for the City’s annual holiday decorating contest will take place on Wednesday, December 15 beginning at 7:00 p.m. There is no need to enter; simply turn on your lights by 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 15 and keep them on until 9:00 p.m. Our judges will consider every decorated property. Judges choose First, Second, and Third Place winners from each of the City’s five wards. The Mayor also selects a favorite to receive The Mayor’s Award. Interested in serving as a judge? Contact your Council Member. Call 301/985-5000 or see http://www.hyattsville.org/council for contact information. Wondering if you’ve won? Honorees are notified by mail as soon as we receive the judges’ decisions. Department of Recreation and the Arts staff will photograph your home for a presentation to the Mayor and City Council in January 2011. We will invite you to receive your award in person at that time. Results will also appear in the January edition of the Hyattsville Reporter and on our website at http://www. hyattsville.org/lightup
ANNOUNCING...
Green Homes
Hyattsville Looking for ways to lower your utility costs, increase your home’s value, and help the environment? An Energy Assessment can identify strategies to accomplish all of these goals. Qualified City of Hyattsville residents, including seniors over the age of 65 and lower-income residents, may qualify to receive an Energy Assessment free of charge through the Green Homes Hyattsville retrofit program. If your home is selected for an Energy Assessment, you may also be eligible for financial assistance completing the suggested upgrades. Upgrades range from quick fixes like replacing
weather stripping or aged appliances to more complex projects including replacing doors or windows or adding solar panels. The Office of Community Development will host two information sessions for interested residents. Join us on Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 2:00 PM or 7:00 PM at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. Can’t make the meeting? Call 301/985-5000 or visit http://www.hyattsville.org/retrofit to learn more.
IN OTHER NEWS...
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Reporter Hyattsville Life Life &&Times Times || November November 2010 2010 Hyattsville
ber 9, 2010
TTSVILLE POLICE EIVE COMMUNITY ARD
area managers Valarie er and Sean Donnelly preCity of Hyattsville Police Douglas Holland with a rivate and Public partnerward. The award recognizes ong working relationship en Target and the City police. he past two years, the Target as reported a decrease of han 20% in security inciTarget has been a key supof the City’s National Night gainst Crime.
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CALENDAR NOVEMBER 2010 8
11 13
No Yard Waste pick-up. Modified trash collection schedule in effect due to Veterans Day holiday on Thursday. No leaf vacuuming this week. Council Work Session & Special City Council Meeting, 7:00 PM Veterans Day Holiday. City Administrative Offices closed; no trash collection. Mary Prangley Clean-up Day Community Meeting: Ward 3 Residents, 10:00 AM, Prince George’s County Community Center, 6600 Adelphi Road. Arts Workshop: Pottery Painting, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Visit http://www.hyattsville.org/recreation for details.
15 20 22 25 26
City Council Meeting, 8:00 PM National Family Volunteer Day, 9:00 AM, University Hills Duck Pond Park, Wells Parkway. No Yard Waste pick-up. Modified trash collection schedule in effect due to Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday. No leaf vacuuming this week. Thanksgiving Holiday. City Administrative Offices closed; no trash collection. Thanksgiving Holiday. City Administrative Offices closed; no trash collection.
DAVID SAWYER
the favorable trend from 2009, when crime dropped by 10%. To read the full presentation and see all of the statistics, visit http://www.hyattsville.org/ police
LEAF COLLECTION Leaf collection resumed November 1, 2010. Route information, helpful tips, and more can be found at http:// www.hyattsville. org/leaves.
ME DROPS FOR THE OND YEAR IN A W
MARY PRANGLEY CLEAN UP DAY SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 13
g last month’s Community Watch Meeting, Police Chief as Holland shared an update me statistics. Crime continues p, with the City reporting an decrease of over 5% in the first months of 2010. This continues
All homes served by the Department of Public Works will receive one special Saturday trash pick-up on November 13. City trucks will make one pass through the City beginning at 9:00 a.m. This is the perfect opportunity to dispose of bulky
items or larger amounts of trash. Call 301/985-5032 with questions.
WARD 3 COMMUNITY MEETING SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 13 Councilmembers Matt McKnight and Tim Hunt will host a Community Meeting for Ward 3 residents at Prince George’s Plaza Community Center, 6600 Adelphi Road, at 10:00 am on Saturday, November 13.
NATIONAL FAMILY VOLUNTEER DAY IS NOVEMBER 20 Celebrate Thanksgiving by bringing the whole family to volunteer! Our group will clean up the area near the University Hills Duck Pond Park, located at the end of Wells Parkway. Equipment provided, but please
The City of Hyattsville wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving dress for the elements! Call 301/985-5057 for details or to RSVP.
RECREATION NEWS IN YOUR INBOX The City’s Department of Recreation and the Arts offers a year-long calendar of programs for the whole family. To stay up-to-date, residents can now subscribe to the Department’s monthly eNews. Packed with details on upcoming events, it is a must-read if you’re looking for affordable family fun in Hyattsville. Visit http://www.hyattsville.org/eNews to subscribe.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK Are you on Facebook? You can now keep up with City events and happenings at www.facebook.com/cityofhyattsville. When you see Vainglorious, the silver metal bird sculpture at Centennial Park, you’ll know you’re in the right place. He is kind enough to serve as the City’s wall photo.
Page 8
Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
COMMUNITY CALENDAR calendar
continued from page 7
Museum, Fly Now! is an exhibit of 40 international aviation posters from 1860 to the present. Free with museum admission of $4 for adults and $2 for ages 18 and under. Noon to 4 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum. 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029.
November 16 Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine presents a lecture based on her book Rubens and the Archaeology of Myth, which examines the artist’s approach to classical mythology. $5; $2.50 for students. 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Riversdale House Museum. 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420.
November 18 to January 9 Part of Gaylord National Resort’s Christmas on the Potomac program, ICE! will feature 10 colorful scenes from the Dr. Seuss classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Created with over 2 mil-
lion pounds of ice, sculptures include the Grinch’s frozen mountaintop lair, 20-foot-tall ice slides, the village of Who-ville, Max the dog, Cindy Lou Who, and, of course, the green one himself. Tickets start at $24; discounts for children and seniors. Free for ages 3 and under. National Harbor, 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor. Hours vary; for more information, call 301.965.4000 or visit www.ChristmasOnThePotomac.com.
November 18 The Ugandan Orphans Choir, made up of 10 children ages 8 to 14, presents an evening of traditional African song and dance. Adults, $20; youth and seniors, $12. 7 p.m. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mt. Rainier. 301.699.1819.
November 21 If you’re looking for unique gift ideas, why not take a glass ornaments class? Learn how to blow colored glass ornaments in this workshop, part of DC Glassworks Introduction to Glass series. 1 to 5 p.m. $165. Class is also offered on December 11 and 19. DC Glassworks, 5366 46th Avenue, Edmonston. 301.927.8271.
Gaylord National Resort One of the scenes from the classic story How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, carved in ice, at the Gaylord National Resort’s Christmas on the Potomac program.
THE COLLEGE PARK AVIATION MUSEUM Some of the vintage aviation posters on display at the College Park Aviation Museum.
November 26
December 3
It’s opening day for the 23rd Annual Winter Festival of Lights, the popular holiday display featuring over a million twinkling lights. Please bring canned food to donate. Admission per car or van is $5 for a single visit or $10 for a multi-visit pass. 5 to 9:30 p.m. daily until January 2. Watkins Regional Park. 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro. 301.699.2456.
Head to the park for the city’s annual Holiday Tree Lighting. Free. 7 p.m. Magruder Park. 4000 Hamilton Street. 301.985.5020.
Come to the 11th Annual Gingerbread House Contest and Show. A tiki hut, haunted house, and ski chalet are just a few of the creative designs of years past; see what this year’s contestants have come up with and vote for your favorite. $1. Noon to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday until December 12. Darnall’s Chance House Museum. 14800 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro. 301.952.8010.
December 4 At the city’s Breakfast with Santa, children will enjoy pancakes and face time with the man in red. $5 includes breakfast and photo with Santa; $3 for breakfast only. 9 to 11 a.m. Municipal Building. 4310 Gallatin Street. Reservations required. 301.985.5020. At Breakfast With Sint Niklaas, children will meet the Flemish forerunner of Santa Claus and receive a gift bag. Adults, $5; children, $9. 10 a.m. No walk-ins. Reservations required by November 30. Rivcalendar continued on page 9
Hyattsville Area Businesses:
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Print circulation – Up 10% (from one year ago) Online visits – Up 250% (last 12 mos. vs. previous 12 mos.)
Where growing your business is not just a part of growing ours – it’s central to our mission as a non-profit organization To advertise, contact advertising@hyattsvillelife. com or 301-531-5234
Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
Page 9
COMMUNITY CALENDAR calendar
December 12
continued from page 8
ersdale House Museum. 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420. Apparently, Santa doesn’t always use a sleigh. At the Santa Fly-In, children can have their picture taken with Santa and create a craft. Free with museum admission of $4 for adults and $2 for ages 18 and under. Noon to 4 p.m. College Park Aviation Museum. 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029. Browse handmade items from 30 local artists at the Mt. Rainier Community Craft Fair. No need for a sitter; young children can visit the Children’s Corner sponsored by Girl Scout Troop 5864, which will also be selling jewelry, purses, toys, fragrant soaps, holiday ornaments and more. Free. 10 a.m. to 4 pm. Joe’s Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mt. Rainier. 301.655.5274.
Watch dancers and drummers at the Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration, which also features a talk on the holiday’s history. $10; students and seniors, $8. 4 p.m. Publick Playhouse. 5445 Landover Road, Cheverly. 301.277.1710.
Ongoing Hyattsville Elementary School is gearing up for its first book sale, and invites you to donate books, DVDs and CDs for the spring event. Drop books off at the school’s main office, 5311 43rd Avenue, or schedule a donation with PTA president Bart Lawrence (bartkathleen@hotmail.com or 301.312.9129). Area couple Milton and Linda McGehee, who were profiled in our pages recently, are still collecting new items for wounded soldiers, including disposable cameras, toiletries, puzzle books, playing cards, DVDs, and, especially, new towels and washcloths. Call 301.559.0864 to donate or volunteer.
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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. Lake Artemesia, 8200 55th Avenue, Berwyn Heights. Free. 3 to 4:30 p.m. 301.627.7755. This isn’t your toddler’s Sit & Spin. At A Tangled Skein yarn shop, the name refers to fourth-Friday gatherings where drop-spindle and spinning-wheel users can work on individual projects, guided by spinning expert Anne O’Connor. Free. 7 to 9 p.m. And if you need more chances to unwind, come to the twice weekly Sit & Stitch sessions: Wednesdays,
Classes forming now for children and adults:
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The Hyattsville library offers a variety of storytimes. Space is limited; free tickets available at the Children’s
Community Calendar is compiled by Susie Currie. It’s a select listing of events happening in and around Hyattsville from the 15th of the issue month to the 15th of the following month. To submit an item for consideration, please e-mail susie@ hyattsvillelife.com or mail to P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for December submissions is November 23.
Hyattsville’s New Center for the Performing Arts
And our Neighboring Community
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The producers-only Riverdale Park Farmers Market offers a variety of vegetables, fruits, honey, baked goods, meat, jams, flowers and more. Free. Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m. through Nov. 18. At the intersection of Rhode Island Avenue and Queensbury Road, Riverdale Park. 301.332.6258.
Desk. Ages 9-23 months with caregiver: Mondays, 10:15 a.m. Ages 2-3: Mondays, 11 a.m. and Tuesdays, 10:15 a.m. Ages 3-5: Tuesdays, 11 a.m. Ages 3-6: Wednesdays, 7 p.m. English-Spanish Storytime for ages 3-6: Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.985.4690.
Alexander Community Dance Group
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7 to 9 p.m., and Thursdays, 1 to 3 p.m. They’re open to knitters and crocheters of any experience level. Free. 5200 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 101. 301.779.3399.
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Page 10
Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
a scary good time
photos by valerie russell The city’s new director of recreation and the arts, Steve Yeskulsky, brought his twins (above) to Spooky Fest, held on October 30 at Magruder Park. The Halloween fun included face painting (top right) and a costume contest (top middle) that got even pets into the act -- but it proved to be a bit much for some little pumpkins (left).
HAPPY HYATTSVILLE
HOLIDAYS Tree Lighting at Magruder Park Fri, Dec 3, 7:00 PM Carolers dressed in full costume, one of Hyattsville’s largest trees ever, hot chocolate & more
Children’s Holiday Breakfast with Santa Sat, Dec 4, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. $3 per guest for breakfast only or $5 including a photo with Santa details & RSVP at www.hyattsville.org/breakfast City of Hyattsville Department of Recreation & the Arts 301/985-5020 http://www.hyattsville.org/holidays
Light Up the Sky Contest Judging Wed, Dec 15, 6:00 p.m. www.hyattsville.org/lightup
Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
Page 11
COMMENTARY & OPINION ON HISTORY & POLITICS
Hugh’sNews
A tale of two traffic studies by Hugh Turley Hyattsville mayor Bill Gardiner has encouraged citizens to read the recent Sabra, Wang & Associates Transportation Study. It may be better understood when compared with a similar report, done for the city in 1991 by The Institute for Governmental Service at the University of Maryland. Both studies note that the state highways around Hyattsville are congested, and they examine traffic flows on residential streets like Jefferson, Crittenden, 42nd Avenue and Queensbury Road. But the differences between the two are telling. Keeping streets accessible for fire and rescue vehicles in an emergency was a factor in the University of Maryland study, and researchers sought input from the fire department. The current study did not include the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department on its list of “stakeholders.” Although local residents are listed as stakeholders, it offers little to address some neighbors’ petitions to the city for less traffic. The goal of the University of Maryland study, consistent with that of many citizens, was to reduce commuter traffic cutting through neighborhoods. Residents participated, with the police department gather-
ing the data. License plate numbers were carefully noted to determine how many cars were coming into or leaving neighborhoods versus cars passing through. The result: 60 percent of the traffic on Queensbury was found to be passing through. The recommendations that flowed from this, such as traffic restrictions during peak hours, reduced commuter traffic cutting through the city. Paul Silberman of Sabra, Wang characterized them as “old, stale recommendations,” calling his company’s study a “fresh look.” That “fresh look” was to enable “more effective use of existing capacity” and “adding capacity.” The newer team gathered data concerning traffic volume and speeds to optimize traffic flow on residential streets. At a September 7 city council meeting Mayor Gardiner said, “I know if I were living
REPORT
City of Hyattsville Transportation Study
July 2010
Prepared by: 1504 Joh Avenue | Baltimore, Maryland 21227 | 410-737-6564 www.sabra-wang.com
on Queensbury or Oglethorpe I may be concerned that there is a proposal to run traffic through my street.” One would think that as mayor, he would be concerned even though
he is not living on one of these streets. Two more notable differences: The University of Maryland study features the authors’ names on the cover page. The Sabra, Wang study lists no authors. Could it be that no one wants to take credit for it? More importantly, by using volunteers, the first study cost taxpayers nothing. Copies are available for $5.25. Councilman Tim Hunt promised to try to make it available at the city website. The Sabra, Wang study cost taxpayers $46,764.60. The summary is available at the city website. Copies of the appendices can cost almost $100 at 20 cents per page from the city clerk. Before purchasing the appendices, one should be aware they include 100 pages of public bus timetables; city officials had not bothered to acquire the appendices of the study they paid for until I asked to see them. Some have argued that the two reports cannot be compared because the current one is a more comprehensive “transportation study.” What they really mean is it has more filler, like bus timetables, from which the highly informative conclusion is reached that “the city does not own or operate its own transit services,” but it is served by Metro, The Bus, and WMATA. For such fresh knowledge we have to spend thousands of dollars? There’s an old saying that hiring a consultant is like paying someone to borrow your watch to tell you the time. Never was it more fitting.
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Page 12
Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
habitat
continued from page 1
city of hyattsville Steve Yeskulsky, Hyattsville’s new director of recreation and the arts, makes his first visit to Magruder Park.
director
continued from page 1 ed to be presented in December, he will be the point person on the plan’s implementation. And with the city celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2011, Yeskulsky’s job will be to work closely with the city council and residents on commemoration activities for the year. Overall, he says, he loves his job and “the chance to see the direct effect of my efforts take place in the
community.” Yeskulsky is looking forward to the upcoming series of holiday events in the city – the Tree Lighting Celebration, Breakfast with Santa, and the Light up the Sky contest. “I can’t wait to bring my twin girls to the tree lighting event,” he added. Yeskulsky stresses that “my door is open [to residents] and I’m open to looking at trying out new ideas.” He summed up his enthusiasm for his new job in Hyattsville this way: “I love to come to work – I get to play!”
Nicola Hain’s certified habitat on Nicholson Street is a beautiful half-acre lot behind her house. It includes a small pond, several birdbaths, several dead trees, a bat house, many native plants (including Joe Pye weed, butterfly weed, jewelweed, elderberry shrubs, milkweed, cardinal flowers, and winterberry, to name just a few). Hain has lived in the house since the mid-1970s and has worked to encourage wildlife in her yard for many years. She purchased adjacent yardage in the late 1970s because she saw it as “sacred” and “undisturbed by machines” and a suitable place for wildlife. She has enjoyed the company of many birds, a family of raccoons, bats, an occasional fox and turtles. She uses compost and leaves to enrich her soil. The elderberry and winterberry provide food for birds; the milkweed and cardinal flowers are excellent nectar sources. Hain estimates that she spends about three hours a day maintaining the space for her wonderful wild neighbors. Heather Martley has had her Madison Street habitat for about two years; she recognized that natural landscapes were beneficial for not only the wildlife, but for the air and watershed as well. She refills a large saucer of water daily for her wild visitors, and her hedgerow
fred seitz A birdbath serves as a water source in this local Certified Wildlife Habitat.
of serviceberries, winterberries, blueberries, purple coneflowers and blackeyed Susans gives animals both food and cover. A birdhouse and a mature oak tree offer nesting places. She has extensive mulch in her yard and composts her leaves, kitchen waste and yard waste. She reports seeing many more birds, as well as raccoons, since she created her habitat. A certified habitat can be a small backyard, a schoolyard or an apartment balcony. It must include five components: • At least three food sources (bird feeders, native plants, berries, nuts, fruits, nectar). • At least one water source (birdbath, pond, water garden, stream).
• Two types of cover (birdhouse, bat house, thicket, rock pile, log pile, toad abode). • Two places to raise young (dense shrubs, mature trees, nesting box, pond, dead trees and snags, host plants for caterpillars). • Sustainable gardening practices (mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer, non-invasive plants). If a property meets the five criteria, residents can register it online at www.nwf.org. There is a $20 registration fee; funds are used to support the program. No special training is required, though there is information on the NWF website and most habitat hosts have read books about native plants and natural gardening. Once certified, the homeowner can purchase a yard sign with the designation. Standard signs are $30; personalized lawn plaques start at $150. In 1998, the program expanded to include Community Wildlife Certification, in which jurisdictions can accumulate points based on such factors as the number of certified habitats, creating demonstration gardens, creating a community habitat team, and providing information on wildlife habitats. Bowie and Takoma Park have registered to become Certified Habitat Communities. With its natural resources and familiar wildlife, Hyattsville might be a worthy future candidate.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
Page 13
3. University Town Center
development
continued from page 1
it is part of a larger proposal that was approved by the District Council some years back. Stuart Eisenberg, executive director of the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation, said, “Landy didn’t go forward at the time. Now the developer has updated it, and is trying to do it in phases. I think eventually they’ll end up building something as big as the original proposal, which was 1,200 units.” The Hyattsville City Council voted to support this, the first phase of the project, with the stipulation that storm water management be handled on the site.
2. Belcrest Plaza
Last October, the HL&T described property owner Percontee’s plans for replacing the approximately 600 units of the red-brick garden-style apartments with 2,750 units − plus a 33-story skyscraper with retail and office space in what would be the tallest skyscraper in the metro area. Since then, the District Council has approved certain components of Percontee’s plan: row homes, townhomes, and some multifamily buildings. One component of the original plan, the towering Georgian Plaza, has not been approved; the Council sent it back to Percontee to address certain issues, said Councilmember Hunt, such as “getting more things at street level, as opposed to a five-story parking garage, and working things out with the owner of Toledo Road so the streets connect. The Council told the developer to address these issues.” Percontee’s plans for redeveloping 25 acres of land along Toledo Terrace, north and north-
illustration by the hL&T 1: Landy Property. 2: Belcrest Plaza. 3: University Town Center
west of the Mall at Prince Georges, would be a high-density, transit-oriented development. The project would include retail and office space (235,000 sq. ft.), residential units (over 2,600), and public amenity space (40,000 sq. ft.). “It’s huge for Hyattsville,” said Eisenberg. “It has many components: townhomes, multifamily housing, mixed office and residential, just office, and office and retail. If it gets absorbed into the city, it will significantly increase our tax base. And it does make sense to annex properties. We’ll be dealing with any problems of this development, so we might as well have
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the authority to address the problems. “I think this is a great development, exactly what’s called for in our planning documents. Those garden apartments that are there now are kind of at the end of their expected life and they’d be either rehabbed or built new. Now with the Transit District Overlay Zone allowing increased density [near Metro stations], it would be profitable and fit in with the county’s master plan for development.” Hyattsville Mayor Bill Gardiner said that the city has hired a consultant to calculate the financial costs and benefits of annexing the area.
Herschel Blumberg, brother of Marvin Blumberg, developed the University Town Center complex, which includes shops, residences, offices and a movie theater. He also owns a parcel of land just north of UTC, which is currently a parking lot. Published sources say that Blumberg is hoping to win a contract from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to build new offices on that site — offices that would total nearly a million square feet. Mayor Gardiner said no other proposed project in the area would be as beneficial to the city. “The city would get nearly $1.6 million in taxes [annually] from it. There would be some increased service demand, but not nearly as much as would be generated by real property tax revenue. Another important benefit is that it would bring somewhere around 2,000 to 3,000 employees who would eat and shop around here. Some may rent or buy around here. And it will likely spur exterior renovations to the Mall at Prince Georges, and accelerate the demolition and redevelopment of the apartments behind the mall. It would also increase demand for office space by contractors to HHS.” Speaking about all these approved and proposed projects, Councilmember Hunt said he has concerns about the level of density being proposed and the accompanying traffic. “It’s not that I’m against development that adds to traffic, but we need to determine what we’re capable of handling and I’m not sure that’s been resolved, despite the Sabra, Wang study. “In short, we need to keep commuter traffic off our residential streets.”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | November 2010
REAL ESTATE SALES WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS CURRENTLY LISTED: 4004 30th St. $149,995 4306 29th St. $199,000 7214 16th Ave. $329,995 2408 Sheridan St. $154,900 2208 Woodberry St. $220,000 3105 Webster St. $299,000 3817 Newark Rd $180,000 9137 Centerway Rd UNDER CONTRACT $219,995 7917 Mandan Rd UNDER CONTRACT $99,995
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Greenbriar Condominium $125,995 - $169,995 Hunting Ridge Condominium $129,995 - $149,900 Maryland Farms Condominium $144,000 - $155,900 Montpelier Village Condominum $109,995 - $155,900
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