Hyattsville
ON SCHOOLS: A look at what local students (and teachers) have accomplished this year. Pages 3 - 7
Record turnout at town hall meeting by Susie Currie
About 170 people attended the District 2 Town Hall Meeting at Northwestern High School on June 2 – a record turnout, said Prince George’s County Council Member Will Campos, who organized it. Campos presented an overview of the 2012 county budget, which the council unanimously passed on May 26. The $2.65 billion budget allows for such local projects as expanding the Hyattsville library and Prince George’s Plaza Community Center, establishing a Rhode Island Avenue trolley trail, and building a new elementary school next to Nicholas Orem Middle School. It also restores some education funding that had been cut in the original plan. That was welcome news to many in the audience, including Hyattsville Elementary School PTA secretary T. Carter Ross. HES parents had coordinated a letter-writing campaign addressing proposed cuts. “That effort helped get a partial restoration of funds for the Reading Recovery program throughout the county,” Ross learned in talking with Campos before the meeting. Campos went on to discuss his legislative agenda, which includes strengthening the county noise ordinance and tweaking the resi-
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TOWN HALL continued on page 12
Life&Times
Vol. 8 No. 6
June 2011
DIVING INTO
SUMMER
PAULA MINAERT Near-record heat sent many to Hamilton Splash Park on Memorial Day.
New school clears hurdle The
School Issue by Susie Currie
Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
Hyattsville’s Community Newspaper
Demolition of the former Hyattsville Presbyterian Church, at 3120 Nicholson Street, to make way for a new elementary school should begin this month, according to Prince George’s County Public School officials. The two-story, 87,000-squarefoot building, which will be located next to Nicholas Orem Middle School, has a projected enrollment of 792 students in pre-kindergarten through 6th grade. It was designed to address over-enrollment at six nearby
elementary schools: Hyattsville, Rosa Parks, University Park, Lewisdale, Thomas Stone and Carole Highlands. Boundaries for the yet-to-benamed Hyattsville Area Elemen-
tary School haven’t been set; if it opens as scheduled in August 2013, public hearings should begin in fall 2012.
Hyattsville city workers are close to winning some relief from the rising cost of living in the fiscal year that begins July 1. With only a few weeks left to decide on a 2012 city budget, it appears that the Hyattsville City
by Paula Minaert
Council will adopt a 1 percent cost of living increase for city workers. No COLA for city workers was one of several cost-saving measures included in the first draft of the $15.95 million budget drawn up by City Ad-
After more than three years on the city staff, Assistant City Administrator Vincent Jones is leaving to take over as city administrator for the nearby town of Seat Pleasant. But, he said, he is not leaving the community. “I own a home here in Hyattsville. That won’t be changing. I hope to still be an involved community member, just in a different way.” Originally from Petersburg, Virginia, Jones came to Hyattsville from Evanston, Illinois, where he
BUDGET continued on page 12
JONES continued on page 9
SCHOOL continued on page 13
City worker benefits are key point in budget discussions by Karen Riley
Assistant city administrator leaves post
Included: The June 8, 2011 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section
Page 2
Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
FromTheEditor
From where I sit by Paula Minaert
We’ve all heard the expression, “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” I know this well. A blue-and-white ceramic lamp that a neighbor put out for the trash found a home in our living room. I think the expression reflects a deeper reality, though. Two people can look at the same object and actually see totally different things. Here’s an example: cows. In this country, cows don’t figure much in the lives of those
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 Production Ashley Perks Advertising advertising@hyattsvillelife.com 301.531.5234 Writers & Contributors Victoria Hille Bart Lawrence 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 Karen J. Riley 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.
of us who don’t live on farms. We know they’re the source of beef, but otherwise, we see bovines mostly on our dishtowels and refrigerator magnets. But in India, real live cows are everywhere. They walk the streets freely; no one bothers them or eats them, because to the people they are holy. It’s the same animal – but it’s not. We all see the world, then, through our own lens. Philosopher and theologian Bernard Lonergan called this lens our horizon, and said it is shaped by upbringing, culture and experience. Our horizon helps us function because it allows us to identify and categorize what’s around us. This is a piece of wood; we
It might be most productive to simply try to understand other people’s horizons, to sit where they sit. It’s a start. build with it; that is a plant; we cook it and eat it. But no two individuals have exactly the same horizon. You share aspects of your horizon with people in your family and your culture, but everyone’s horizon is unique.
This dynamic operates here in Hyattsville as much as anywhere else. And it underlies some of our most thorny and controversial issues. For example, some people look at a chain link fence and see tacky. Others look at it and see practical and affordable. A yard filled with sunflowers can be either choked with tall weeds or a delightful retreat. And a man working on his car in his driveway can be handy and thrifty or bringing down the quality of the neighborhood. It all depends on your horizon, your point of view. We tend to assume that our perceptions are the right ones. “Of course, this is what x or y means. Doesn’t everyone see it this way?” Well, no. Everyone doesn’t. I may observe trash cans overflowing with plastic and cardboard and see a family that is wasteful
and uncaring of the environment. Someone else may see people working hard to survive, and environmental issues just haven’t entered their worldview. We tend to surround ourselves with people who have similar worldviews to our own, so our perceptions are confirmed. This reinforces the attitude of “Of course, this is how things are! Everyone I know sees it this way.” But we have to live and interact with people who have different – sometimes very different – perceptions. And expectations. It’s not easy. I think the first step is to accept that our own horizon, our world, is not necessarily normative. I am not saying everything is relative (and neither is Lonergan). I am saying it might be most productive to simply try to understand other people’s horizons, to sit where they sit. It’s a start.
Ward 4 residents OPEN FOR BUSINESS discuss concerns by Paula Minaert
A group of Ward 4 residents met June 4 at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church to talk about issues of common concern. It was the first public meeting in the city since the May elections. The meeting was organized and chaired by Ward 4 councilmember Paula Perry. Councilmembers Ruth Ann Frazier and Nicole Hinds Mofor (Ward 5) and David Hiles (Ward 2) also attended. One major concern brought up by residents was the lack of development in West Hyattsville. Stuart Eisenberg, executive director of the Hyattsville Community Development Corporation, explained that about $20 million is needed for new infrastructure improvements before any new development can happen and that the market isn’t good right now. He added that local investment needs to happen first. “Each time the city puts money into improving the local infrastructure, development follows. We need to concentrate on West Hyattsville.” Another issue residents discussed was the number of foreclosures and empty houses in the ward. One resident said she thinks Ward 4 has more foreclosures than the others. Corporal Jerry McCauley from the city police force attended the meeting to talk about crime. He said the most frequent crime in the ward – as in the city as a whole – is vehicle theft and vandalism. He also recommended that people get to know their neighbors. “If you don’t,” he said, “you don’t know who’s supposed to be there and who’s not.” The meeting ended with people talking about holding a block party, which would include more than one block, so residents could get acquainted.
SUSIE CURRIE Hyattsville City Councilmember Paula Perry cuts the ribbon at the May 26 grand opening of Bobʼs Discount Furniture Store, on East-West Highway. Joining her are, from left: store manager Diane Peacor; City Councilmember Tim Hunt and his son; and Northwestern High School Principal Jerome Thomas.
Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
Page 3
Romare Marshall with his parents, Dennis Marshall and Eileen Cave, during the opening reception for his exhibit at a Silver Spring restaurant. Below, some of his award-winning artwork. photo by susie currie
Young Hyattsville artist wins regional award by Susie Currie
A Hyattsville youth beat area applicants from as far away as Herndon, Va., to win the first annual Ted Kliman Memorial Award for Young Artists. High-school freshman Romare Marshall, 14, received $500 and a month-long exhibition of his work. The contest was open to 12-to-17year-olds living in the Washington, D.C., region and working in sculpture, painting, drawing, mixed media or photography. Contestants had to submit 10 to 15 images of their work, describe how the award money would further their artistic goals, and write an essay about “a painting, sculpture, or drawing that speaks to [them],” according to the award description. Marshall’s winning essay was on “Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor),” the 1656 painting by Diego Velazquez, and the effect the Spanish painter has had on his own paintings. “I couldn’t have hoped for some-
one like Romare,” said Hyattsville resident Todd Kliman, whose family instituted the award to honor the memory of his father, a Greenbelt artist who died in 2009. “For a 14-year-old to have this level of devotion and seriousness kind of threw me off.” Marshall’s mother, who named him for artist Romare Bearden, is local artist Eileen Cave, a visual-arts teacher with the Prince George’s County Public School system. “She didn’t push me into [being an artist],” said Marshall, a lifelong resident of Hyattsville. “I’ve been drawing ever since I was little, and she would incorporate my stick figures into her paintings.” She did, however, encourage him to enter the contest, his first. He says he was surprised to win; “it was just something I put together over spring break.” The award was presented on May 17 during the opening reception for an exhibition of his paintings, drawings and etchings at The Daily Dish, a restaurant in Silver
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School Issue Spring. That night, Marshall sold his first piece of art – “Howling Wolf,” on scratchboard – to Karen Gardiner, his 6th grade teacher at Rosa Parks Elementary School. After elementary school, Marshall followed his older brother Jordan to the Landon School, where he gets 45 minutes of art instruction four days a week. He plans to spend his prize money on summer art classes there. Walt Bartman, chair of Landon’s art department, has worked with Marshall on painting, drawing and sculpture; this summer, they will tackle larger pieces and begin as-
sembling the 24 works required for the Advanced Placement art exam. Asked for a favorite piece, teacher and student both point to “Skull Trio,” a set of three cow skulls rendered in charcoal. “I love it because of its size and the subtleties,” said Bartman. “One of Romare’s strengths is his attention to fine detail, especially how things can go from light to dark. He loses himself completely in his work.” The Kliman family hopes to make the award an annual one, and a silent auction during the reception raised more than $400 for next year’s. “I was looking for someone whose passion and intensity matched my father’s,” said Kliman. “It was hard to find.”
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Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
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Acclaimed DeMatha music director retiring The
by Paula Minaert
On May 12, John Mitchell, Director of Bands at DeMatha Catholic High School, conducted his final DeMatha concert, a sold-out show at the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The evening included not only music by the school’s top concert band, but also tributes from both faculty and alumni. It was a momentous occasion because Mitchell was retiring after 40 years at the school. In 1970, Mitchell came to teach music at DeMatha, known then mainly for its sports programs,
School Issue especially its basketball team. He proceeded to establish a music program that is now equally acclaimed. He started with a band that had 19 students; today the whole music program has 400 students in 15 different groups. Under Mitchell’s leadership, the various bands, orchestras and ensembles have garnered so many awards and trophies that the school has run out of room for them. But Mitchell says that his favor-
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ite part of the job was interacting with the students, both in class and outside of class. He said, “You can do a lot of teaching outside of class.” He added that the school gets a wide range of students, of different backgrounds and skills, and he enjoyed watching them learn and grow. Interviews with some of his students show that they enjoyed learning from him as well. When they talked about Mitchell, the word “inspiring” came up often. Rising senior Michael Sprunk, who plays flute and piano, said that even though music was al-
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Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
ways part of his life growing up, it was just something he was required to do. He didn’t really understand it, he says, until he came to DeMatha. “I don’t know how it happened. Mr. Mitchell just inspired me to want to play. Suddenly everything started to make sense to me and I started to enjoy playing. He made me what I am today in music.” Sprunk doesn’t plan to go into music as a career but said he will never stop playing and music will always be a part of his life. Another student, Mario Perez, is going to the University of Maryland Baltimore County this fall. He plans to major in music and maybe to teach music eventually, and attributes this desire to Mitchell. “Mr. Mitchell changed my life,” Perez said simply. “When I came to DeMatha, I had no previous experience in music. But I fell in love with it. And he was always pushing me to do better.” Perez will still be able to learn from Mitchell, because he plans to join the wind ensemble at Catholic University that Mitchell directs on Monday nights. Spencer Cooksey, a rising senior, will major in marketing or management in college but said he’ll always make room for
Page 5
music in his life. He described Mitchell as “the greatest band director anyone could ever ask for. He has this presence about him, a real dedication to what he does. He’s truly inspiring.” Cooksey added, “Mr. Mitchell is known among his students for his despair. If you’re not playing up to his standards, he just looks at you for 30 seconds without saying a word. Not angry, just a blank stare. It makes you feel, ‘Wow, I gotta practice and get this together.’” He said music has grown on him since coming to DeMatha. He started with the saxophone and is now branching out to guitar and piano. Buddy Paolucci is graduating this year and will probably study either business or engineering in college – but he too will keep playing music in some way. He plays the euphonium, which is a brass instrument with a mellow sound and valves instead of slides. He didn’t take music seriously at first, he said, but was inspired by Mitchell to work hard at it. “He really led by example and gave 100 percent – he only missed one band rehearsal in all four years I was there. He taught us hard work and knew his craft well.
“Music is great. It helps you expand your mind and be part of something greater than you and me. It brings out your best. It lets you use the whole brain, use it to the fullest. It helps you work as a team so it helps in everyday life and your career.” Matt Bickell, who graduated from DeMatha in 1995, now teaches there: he’s in charge of three orchestra classes and a band class. He said Mitchell is the reason he is there. “I was dragged to music kicking and screaming. My parents valued music, but I came to DeMatha hoping to play [college] basketball for Duke. But I was cut from the freshman team. “Music was always in me but I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin. I saw Mr. Mitchell’s passion for music and was able to find my own.” Bickell went to The Eastman School of Music and majored in trumpet performance and music education, then played professionally for 10 years. But in his mind, he said, he always wanted to return to DeMatha and give something back. Mr. Mitchell will be gone from the classroom, but it’s clear his legacy – his influence – will live on.
SPIN THE WHEEL
susie currie On May 20, St. Jerome Academy hosted SpringFest, an outdoor evening event complete with carnival games, moon bounce, barbecue and a DJ playing ‘80s hits.
Hyattsville Farmers Market at Queens Chapel Town Center Fresh local produce — the best from Southern Maryland farms
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Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
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Schools’ report card
As the academic year draws to a close, here’s a look at what some students (and teachers) at Hyattsville schools have accomplished. Schools are listed alphabetically. by Paula Minaert The
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Students from Concordia Lutheran School held activities this spring to combat malaria, as part of the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, which is working with Lutheran World Relief and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to eliminate malaria deaths in Africa by 2015. Concordia students again acted as peer coaches for students at James E. Duckworth School in Beltsville. They spend several months helping Duckworth athletes train for Challenge Day, a day-long event held in partnership with the Special Olympics. Duckworth provides special education for children ages 5 to 21.
DeMatha Catholic High School Last month, a New York Times article on DeMatha’s music program reported that during Music Director John Mitchell’s 40-year tenure, the program amassed so many awards that the school ran out of room for them. He’s retiring this year [see story, p. 4], and goes out on a high note; at the most recent competition, the Heritage Festival in Atlanta, his music ensembles captured all major awards, including top vocal group and top instrumental group. Two other teachers recently
t. carter ross Hyattsville Elementary’s second annual Native Plant Sale in May was so successful it sold out before the official ending time.
received awards for their work. Pat Smith received the national Secondary School Education award from the National Catholic Education Association and the Washington Post named Tom Krawczewicz the 2011 Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award for Private Schools. In addition, football coach Bill McGregor, who is retiring, was named one of 12 Washingtonians of the Year by Washingtonian magazine. Among the student standouts this year were senior Andrew Eck, who won the archdiocesan Outstanding Youth Award, and track star Michael Williams, who is ranked 9th in the U.S. in the 400-meter hurdles. The DeMatha Hockey Team won the Governor’s Youth Group Service Award. Also, the school inducted
36 new members into the National Honor Society. The sports teams won several tournaments. Both the soccer and basketball teams won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, and the basketball team also won the Washington D.C. City Title.
Hyattsville Elementary School HES received $5,000 in books from Usborne Books for library and teaching resources. Parent involvement and volunteer hours earned a grant from the Inter Agency Commission for $675,000 for use toward a new walk-in freezer and the design for a retaining wall and bioretention area along Jefferson Street. Students at the school donated
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Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
more than 800 pounds of food for the food pantries at Crossover Church and St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, and the school launched a quarterly essay contest as part of its character-education curriculum. Bart Lawrence, parent of a first-grader and PTA president, received the Volunteer of the Year award from the City of Hyattsville; under his leadership, the PTA held its first used book sale and its second native plant sale, which drew visitors from all over the Washington metropolitan area. Though the sale was scheduled over a weekend, it sold out before 11 a.m. Sunday. “It exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Lawrence, who expects proceeds from the two events to fund a bicycle rack and possibly a picnic table. The school established a partnership with the University of Maryland to host studentteaching interns. And, in a nod to the several countries represented at the school, students got their “passports” stamped as they traveled to different countries during the annual International Day program. But the year was also marked by tragedy; fourth-grader Kimberly Hernandez perished in a January house fire, along with her sister Kelli, who attended Hyattsville Middle School. “We are forever saddened by the loss,” said PTA Vice President Candace Hollingsworth. “Our students showed amazing support and resilience during this time and we are thankful to be a part of the Hyattsville community.”
Hyattsville Middle School HMS students took home many awards
Page 7
this year. They won the county Science Bowl championship – for the sixth time. The creative writing students placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the county Write-A-Book competition. HMS students also took 1st through 4th place in the Martin Luther King Essay Contest and 1st and 3rd place in the Destination Imagination Competition. In the fine arts, the Creative and Performing Arts students acquitted themselves well. The Orchestra received all superiors at the Orchestra Festival; the Band and Wind Ensemble received excellent performance rating at the county festival; and CPA students also won the Chorus, Jazz Band, Orchestra and Band competitions in Atlanta in April. The chorus achieved superior ratings for their performance at the state competition on May 6. Rounding out the school year was a production of the musical “Annie.” PTA vice president Mary Resing said that “students excel in so many areas – community service, kindness, the arts, academics and sports. As they earn perfect scores at the State Middle School Choral Competition, or remain undefeated in both girls’ and boys’ soccer or read aloud a poem written in honor of a school friend who has died, HMS students are awe-inspiring.” In other news, HMS received a donation from Bob’s Discount Furniture, of $5,000. Principal Susie Long is retiring at the end of this school year.
Nicholas Orem Middle School Nicholas Orem also got a donation from the furniture store, and Principal Jerome
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Thomas said that part of the $1,000 would go toward recognizing readers. The school conducts a program to encourage every student to read 25 books during the school year – about one million words. Approximately 40 percent of the students do not speak English as their first language and reading is a way to bridge that language gap, said Thomas. About 30 percent of the school’s students met that challenge this year; they will get T-shirts proclaiming “I’m a 25-book achiever at NOMS.” The donation will also be used to celebrate the students who consistently attended the after-school tutoring program, held every Tuesday and Thursday. Nicholas Orem is one of four schools in the county that will be launching an iPad initiative; every student will receive an iPad as a learning tool. Thomas said iPads provide significant help with language acquisition. The entire staff at the school is involved in an effort to learn Spanish, using the Rosetta Stone teaching program.
Northwestern High School Northwestern offers one of the county’s largest Advanced Placement programs, including calculus, physics, English literature and studio art. Last month, the Washington Post High School Challenge Index reported that the school has the third highest AP pass rate in the county. NWHS is the only school to have two students per year receive the University of Maryland Incentive Awards Scholarships. The music program has earned several ac-
colades this academic year. The choir took top prize in the countywide iSing High School Scholarship Competition contest. At a spring music festival in Williamsburg, the school musicians won first place overall, as well as first place in concert band, jazz ensemble, concert band (superior rating), string orchestra and percussion ensemble. Jabari Edwards was named Outstanding High School Jazz Soloist.
St. Jerome Academy SJA has completed its transition to becoming a classical school, following a model that was used in this country until the 20th century (see HL&T, August 2010). Supporters say the curriculum mirrors the stages of a child’s development and enables students of diverse backgrounds and abilities to understand, reason from, and express an integrated body of knowledge drawn from 5,000 years of human history. As the first and only classical school of the Archdiocese of Washington, it has attracted local and national attention, including coverage in the Washington Post magazine and National Public Radio. Other schools and whole dioceses are in the process of implementing St. Jerome’s curriculum. Even though the school no longer teaches to the test, principal Mary Pat Donoghue said its standardized test scores went up this year, in its first year implementing the new curriculum. For the upcoming school year, the Academy has recruited its largest class of new registrants – nearly 60 – in several years.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE 2011 SPECIAL ELECTION WARD 1 Tuesday, July 19 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM City Municipal Building 4310 Gallatin Street Hyattsville, MD 20781
Candidate registration is open and applications for absentee ballots are currently being accepted.
Monday, June 13, 5:00 to 6:30 PM Special evening Candidate Registration
submitted to the Board of Elections of Prince George’s County, 16201 Trade Zone Avenue, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
Wednesday, June 15,
Saturday, July 16,
5:00 PM Deadline for candidates to register
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Absentee Ballot Drop-Off at City Municipal Building
Friday, June 17,
Monday, July 18,
5:00 PM Deadline for residents to register or report address changes to the Maryland Board of Elections to vote in Special Election – Ward 1 Voter applications must be
10:00 AM Deadline for filing Absentee Ballot Applications Applications must be received by the City by this date and time
http://www.hyattsville.org/election 301/985-5009
Hyattsville Reporter Page HR1
Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
the
Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
No. 218• June 8, 2011
www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000
Base ball returns to Magruder Park in July
CALENDAR JUNE 2011 June 10, 6:30 to 8:30 PM
Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam featuring Superflydisco
Before Magruder Park was dedicated, base ball – yup, it used to be two words – was played on the same spot, known locally as Wine’s Fields. As part of the City’s 125th Anniversary celebrations, we’re bringing base ball back! Join us for a special doubleheader between the Potomac Nine of Washington, DC and the Cecil Base Ball Club of Chesapeake City. The games take place on Sunday, July 31, with the first pitch at 12:00 noon. Players will be available for a special chat in between games. The event is free and open to the public. Questions? Call us at 301/985-5020.
June 13, 5:00 to 6:30 PM
Special Evening Candidate Registration
June 13, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM City Council Meeting
June 14, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Summer Camp Information Session
June 15, 5:00 PM
Deadline for Candidates to Register for Special Election - Ward 1
June 15, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Deadline for residents to register or report address changes to the Maryland Board of Elections
June 17, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Family Movie Night featuring How to Train Your Dragon, Heurich Park
June 20 - July 1
Session I begins: Camps Tiny Tots, Jamboree & Discovery
June 21, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Planning Committee Meeting
Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the City Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street.
Enrollment is open for the City’s MRPA-award winning summer camps for kids ages 3 through 13. Camps run in two-week sessions beginning Monday, June 20. Camp Tiny Tots, for ages 3 and 4, meets at the City Municipal Building. Camp Jamboree, for kids ages 5 through 9, meets at Magruder Park. (NOTE: As of press time, Camp Jamboree is full for sessions I through III.) Camp Discovery, for kids ages 10 through 13, meets at Hyattsville Elementary School. Contact the Department of Recreation and the Arts at 301/985-5020, email ceverhart@hyattsville.org or visit http://www.hyattsville.org/ camps for more information.
SPECIAL ELECTION – WARD 1 SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2011 The City will hold a Special Election for the Ward 1 Council Member seat vacated by the election of former Council Member Marc Tartaro to the office of Mayor during the May 2011 general election. Candidate registration is currently open and continues through Wednesday, June 15 at 5:00 PM. The voter registration deadline is Friday, June 17 at 5:00 PM. Absentee ballot applications are currently being accepted. Questions? Contact City Clerk Doug Barber at 301/985-5009 or visit our website: http://www.hyattsville.org/election.
June 17, Movie Night, Heurich Park
REMEDIATION ONGOING AT KING PARK As of press time, the City continues to work on issues related to oil contamination at King Park on Gallatin
Show your civic pride with an I Am Hyattsville tee. Available at all Outback Steakhouse Summer Jams for just $10, or stop by the City Administrative offices during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Sizes Youth XS to Adult 3XL. Questions? Call Abby Sandel at 301/985-5031. Traveling to a distant land – or even Ocean City? Snap a pic of you in your tee and send it to us at asandel@hyattsville.org!
BUDGET PROCESS City Council continues to discuss the budget for FY12, which begins on July 1, 2011. An additional Council Meeting has been added for Monday, June 13 at 8:00 PM. The City Administrator’s most recent presentation can be viewed online at http://www.hyattsville.org/budget.
PEPCO INSTALLATION NEWS
NEED TO CONTACT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL?
BUY LOCAL CHALLENGE
Contact information for all City elected officials has been updated on the City’s cable station and at http:// www.hyattsville.org/council. It was also published in the June edition of the City’s Hyattsville Reporter. An update will be provided following the Special Election – Ward 1. Questions? Call us at 301/985-5000.
While you’re shopping the Farmers Market, remember that the Buy Local Challenge week is July 23 through July 31. Visit the Buy Local website at http://www.buylocal-challenge.com/ to take the pledge: I pledge to eat at least one thing from a local farm every day during Buy Local Week. It’s easy - and delicious!
FARMERS MARKET RE-OPENS FOR THE SEASON ON JUNE 14
NEXT UP: SUPERFLYDISCO
Harris Orchards and other Maryland producers return for the 2011 season on Tuesday, June 14. Farm fresh produce and artisanal products are available every Tuesday afternoon, from 2 to 6 p.m., at the West Hyattsville Farmers Market. The market is located behind Queens Chapel Town Center, at the intersection of Queens Chapel Road and Hamilton Street. (Parking is available.) WIC and Senior FMNP checks are accepted.
The next Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam of the season is Friday, June 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM featuring Superflydisco. Join us, rain or shine! Admission and kids’ activities are free; food, including beer and wine, are available for purchase. The menu includes hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken, all grilled up by the Outback Steakhouse at Prince George’s Plaza. Bring back your refillable mug to save on beer – and save the planet! Questions? Visit http://www.hyattsville.org/summerjam or call 301/985-5020.
This is the fifth in a series of stories about how City residents can make small changes to have a positive impact on our environment. In celebration of National Bike Month, May’s column focused on getting around on two wheels. This month looks at mass transit.
But let’s face it: even the least daring tourist can navigate the user-friendly Metrorail system. Ready for the advanced course? Take THE BUS.
I AM HYATTSVILLE
Street. The park remains open, but we ask that residents use caution. Updates will be posted on the City’s homepage.
SHARE THE RIDE
The City is served by outstanding resources. Located on the green line, you can reach Gallery Place/Chinatown in twenty minutes or less from the Prince George’s Plaza metro station. Leaving from West Hyattsville? That’s an even quicker trip!
IN OTHER NEWS... SUMMER CAMPS FILLING FAST
GOING GREEN IN 2011:
High gas prices, environmental concerns, and a desire for a more relaxing commute have prompted some Hyattsville residents to take to their bikes to get around town. There’s a second eco-friendly option to consider: share the ride by relying on mass transit.
Hyattsville Environmental Committee Meeting
June 17, 5:00 PM
Page HR2
Pepco plans to install new digital electric meters in residential homes and businesses this month. You should receive a letter before installation takes place. If you have any questions, please visit www.pepco.com or call their Customer Care Center at 301/833-7500.
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.
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.
Prince George’s County’s THE BUS serves as a circulator route for the City, connecting both Metro stations, as well as the County Service Building, Hyattsville Justice Center, Nicholson Street, Belcrest Road, 42nd Avenue, and Hamilton Street. See the schedule for Route 13 at http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/Government/ AgencyIndex/DPW&T/Transit/thebus.asp. Beyond Route 13, THE BUS Route 17 travels from Mount Rainier’s terminal up Baltimore Avenue through College Park as far as Ikea. THE BUS routes 12, 14, and 18 also connect the City with points beyond. See the link above for route maps. Metro’s Trip Planner at http://wmata.com/can help you include their extensive network of buses into your travel plans. You can pay for your rides on all three forms of transportation with a SmarTrip card. Learn more about the program here: http://wmata.com/fares/smartrip/ The Maryland MARC Camden Line stops in neighboring Riverdale Park Monday through Friday, heading between Baltimore and Washington DC. Check out their schedule here: http://mta.maryland.gov/services/ marc/schedulesSystemMaps/MARC_CAMDEN_LINE_ HTML.cfm Heading beyond the region? You can do that without getting in a car, too. Amtrak departures from Union Station can take you all over the US. Closer to home, many trains stop at the New Carrollton station. Rely on Metro, Amtrak, or MARC to reach one of our three regional airports and you can arrive almost anywhere in the world, all without getting behind the wheel of your car. Find links to all of the route maps online at http://www. hyattsville.org/transit
Page 8
Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
COMMUNITY CALENDAR June 10
The Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam series continues this evening, with a moon bounce for the kids and a beer garden for adults. Sing along to your favorite disco hits provided by Superflydisco. Burgers, chicken and hot dogs will be prepared by Outback Steakhouse. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Free. Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. 301.985.5020.
June 12
Hyattsville resident Todd Kliman will read from his book The Wild Vine, just out in paperback, during a book signing and wine tasting. Free. 2 to 4 p.m. New Deal Café, 113 Centerway, Roosevelt Center, Greenbelt. 301.474.5642. NewDealCafe.com.
June 16
If you don’t have a lawn chair yet, this might be the time to invest in one. Then you can bring it to (among many other events this month) Jazz on the Lawn
at Riversdale, a sunset concert series that kicks off tonight with the Susan Jones Jazz Quartet. Free; dinner from the Calvert House available for purchase. 7 to 8 p.m. Riversdale House Museum, 4811 Riverdale Road, Riverdale Park. 301.864.0420.
June 17
The City of Hyattsville’s free summer movie series kicks off tonight with How to Train Your Dragon, based on Cressida Cowell’s book about an unlikely Viking teenage hero who would rather befriend dragons than slay them. 7 p.m. Heurich Park, Ager Road and Nicholson Street. Free; refreshments available for sale. Bring your own blanket or lawn chairs. 301.985.5020.
June 18
Put on some old clothes and come to the Anacostia River Clean-Up at Bladensburg Waterfront Park to help clean our local waterways. All ages welcome; adults must accompany children
16 and under. Free. 9:30 a.m. to noon. 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371.
ture/Recreation Center, 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier. 301.927.2163.
Got your summer reading list together yet? Join the discussion of Colson Whitehead’s The Intuitionist, a novel that is part mystery and part philosophy, with a dash of Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man thrown in. Free. 3 p.m. Hyattsville Library, 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.779.9330.
June 27 to August 13
Procrastinators, unite: Prince George’s Plaza Community Center has everything you need to make a Father’s Day card, just in time for dad’s big day tomorrow. Free. 6 to 10 p.m. 6600 Adelphi Road. 301.864.1611.
June 25
The Mount Rainier Nature & Recreation Center hosts a Live Animal Show, complete with reptiles, amphibians and more, plus a craft. Another program is set for July 9. Free. 11 a.m. to noon. Mount Rainier Na-
Long before there was an Arts District, Hyattsville was home to renowned African-American artist David C. Driskell, who is a professor emeritus at University of Maryland in addition to having achieved acclaim in the arts world. To mark his 80th birthday this month, the Brentwood Arts Exchange’s show “Artistic Reflections” features works both by him and, from former students, inspired by him. Free. Weekdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Avnue., Brentwood. 301.277.2863.
June 29
Snakes in the stacks? As part of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System’s series of summer children’s events, Reptile World comes to the Hyattsville branch. Free. 6:30 p.m. Hyattsville Library, 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.779.9330.
July 2
Don’t look for a moon bounce at the second annual Uncle Sam Jam; this event is for ages 21 and up. Music on several stages includes concerts by The Wailers, Blind Melon and Pat McGee, and there will
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be plenty of beer and barbecue for sale. A fireworks finale over the Potomac River is scheduled for sundown. Gaylord National Resort grounds, National Harbor. Rain or shine; no pets or coolers. Tickets start at $15. 2 to 10 p.m. 301.652.7712 or www.theunclesamjam.com.
July 4
Greenbelt will host its Independence Day Celebration with entertainment beginning at 4 p.m., including a 7:30 p.m. performance by the Greenbelt Concert Band. Fireworks will follow around 9 p.m. Free. Buddy Attick Park, 555 Crescent Road, Greenbelt. 301.397.2200. Who needs to go all the way downtown for fireworks? The University of Maryland will again host a family-friendly evening complete with live music, food, and, of course, pyrotechnics. Concert starts at 7 p.m.; fireworks, around 9 p.m. Rain date: July 5. Free. Campus Parking Lot 1 (just off Campus Drive) College Park. 301.864.8877.
July 8
Time for another installment of the Outback Steakhouse Summer Jam series with live music by the Beach Bumz. See June 10 calendar entry for more details. July 13 Bring a lawn chair to the Maryland Shakespeare Festival’s production of As You Like It,
Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
Page 9
Jones
continued from page 1
this year’s free outdoor performance in the Shakespeare in the Parks summer series. Free. 7 p.m. Magruder Park, 40th Avenue and Hamilton Street. www.mdshakes.org. 301.668.4090.
July 14
Popular at the turn of the century, jug bands combined traditional instruments with ones fashioned from jugs, washboards, washtubs, spoons and other household items. During this afternoon’s Slim Harrison & the Sunnyland Band concert, children from the audience can be part of the show. Free. 2 p.m. Hyattsville Library, 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.779.9330.
Ongoing
On June 14, the Hyattsville Farmers’ Market returns to the Queens Chapel Town Center with just-picked produce, herbs, plants and more. Tuesdays, 2 to 6 p.m. Queens Chapel Road and Hamilton Street. 301.627.0977. The producers-only Riverdale Park Farmer’s Market is open for the season, with a variety of local vegetables and fruits, honey, baked goods, meat, jams, flowers and more. Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m. 4650 Queens-
bury Road, Riverdale Park. 301.332.6258. Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, the Peter Pan Club for preschoolers includes storytime and hands-on craft activities. Free with museum admission of $4 for adults ($2 for children). 10:30 a.m. College Park Aviation Museum, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029. Spring means it’s time again for the free, 45-minute Anacostia River Boat Tours, held Tuesdays through Fridays at noon and weekends at 5 p.m. All ages are welcome to join a park naturalist on a pontoon boat to search for birds and other wildlife. Free; registration required for groups of 12 or more. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371. 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 July submissions is June 23.
OLD DOMINION B
was assistant to the city administrator. He has a graduate degree in public administration from Florida State University. He said a lot has happened in his time here; he has been busy since he walked in the door – and that, he said, has been a good thing. Jones said residents across every demographic have expressed at public meetings that they like the smalltown feel of the city and the convenience of being in an urban area. He added that he shares this view. He also said, “The community is undergoing some change because of development and therefore expectations have changed about what the city provides the community.” As far as challenges go, he pointed to what he called the long-standing issue of how to best communicate with the different demographic groups here. “I think we are doing a great job trying to use different formats to reach people and get the word out, but we never have a real confirmation that we’re reaching people where they are.”
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Page 10
Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
THE FIRST SUMMER JAM
cynthia mitchel During the first Summer Jam of the season, Julia Duin and her daughter, Veeka, were among those dancing to the live music of The Fabulous Bel Airs. Perennial balloon-sculpting favorite Mandy the Clown had a steady stream of pint-sized customers throughout the evening. The next Jams are June 10 and July 8.
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Want to search a back issue? E-mail an article to a friend? Find an advertiser? See current and archived editions of the Hyattsville Life & Times at www.issuu.com/ hyattsvillelifeandtimes IS THAT TRASH
OR TREASURE? get their heirlooms Local residents version evaluated at Hyattsville’s Roadshow. of the Antiques
Subscribe for free and get notified of each monthly issue before the Hyattsville print version arrives in your SPINNING YARNA mailbox! AT THE DRIVE-IN
the days the Past talks about were Postcards from movies and restaurants when drive-in PAGE 5 popular in Hyattsville.
PAVED A STREET WITH GREEN is the
PAGE 2
Hyattsville
in Edmonston Decatur Street the East Coast, and on greenest street U.S. PAGE 3 maybe even the
Life&Times
All work and all play
Atteberry by Krista the job, one week on With less than the city’s new RecSteve Yeskulsky, Arts Director, hit the reation and helping out running by Fire 7 the ground sville VolunteerOcto- Vol. on at the Hyatt 5-mile run Department’s impressed with the was and the ber 23. He 60 volunteers annual more than first spirit at the runners community dozens of event, in which competed. ages 10 to 75 to Hyattsville, Before coming as a program coYeskulsky servedyears with Florida’s six Parks ordinator for Government Sarasota CountyDepartment, where and Recreation things . . . includhe “did a thousand larger special overseeing ing mostly events.” Diego, he from San Originally Diego State from San graduated Bachelor of with two and culUniversity in art history time Arts degrees During his in tural anthropology. he was instrumental “Salon in San Diego, an art exhibition, funds organizing to help raise also de San Diego,” charity. Yeskulsky for an AIDS for the Parks & Rec ed enjoys writing and is a certifi Business magazine Professional Recreation Park and Inspector. ing accliand Playground agenda is gett more First on his meeting and area mated to the Also, once community. city’s folks in the approves the the city council which is expectPlan, Parks Master
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 43 Easton, MD 21601
DIRECTOR continued
on page 12
Hyattsville’s
No. 11
Newspaper
Community
November
Minaert by Paula
future, the In the not-too-distant at Prince the Mall area around Northwestern High Georges and look very different, School could major development because some the works there. in projects are projects are within Some of these and some fall just the city’s bordershave an impact on will outside. All sville. life in Hyatt
Property 1. The Landyby Marvin Blum-
SPOOKYST
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party annual Halloween ages. The cityʼs 200 people of all drew about ON PAGE 10 MORE PHOTOS
things Where the wild
Life & Times Hyattsville PO Box 132 MD 20781 Hyattsville,
an arts community, identified as lives both is frequently of wildlife that actively Hyattsville have also a community Some residents but there is and backyards. participating in the National in our parks this by Habitat program. worked to encourage Certified Wildlife and help wildlife Wildlife Federation’sprogram in 1973 to world,” acthe with the natural NWF started a way to connect a NWF wildlife biologist. “give people have been David Mizejewski, across the country cording to 135,000 homes Hyattsville has 23 of them. Since then, wildlife habitats. page 12 certified as continued on
FRED SEITZ
Nicola Hainʼs
small pond
is part of a
HABITAT
The November
10, 2010
Issue of
NEW PLAYGRO AT MAGRUD UND ER
Magruder Park is undergoing complete a nearly playground renovation, four new play with structures. PAGE 3
The Hyattsville
certified habitat.
Reporter
GETTING KICKS ON YOUR RT.
1 Legend and Lore asks: Why surrounding all the romance the Route 1 is almost famed Route 66 when its cousin as long and just as storied? PAGE 2
Police collect unwanted medica tions
Landy is owned the Washdeveloper in berg, a major He owns a 33.94ington region. land located south of and acre parcel High School of Northwestern Most of this land mall. north of the lies outside the city and is wooded portion at for a small limits, except corner. the northeast Council – which in The District for development is the arbiter County − recently Prince George’s proposal for a Landy approved on part of construction residential building of apartment that land: an that would be on the about 400 units Belcrest Road. the street line of would include The building that is within the land on portion of led to discussion city. This has of the city annexthe city council portion so be ing the unincorporated building would member that the entire said council in Hyattsville, ward bor(Ward 3). His develTim Hunt of the proposed portion ders the area includes the opment and and within the city. One of the project This is Phase
are
by Fred Seitz
Included:
2010
Mall at Prince Georges area planning for new, major development
By Lara Beaven
DEVELOPMENT
— See Center
continued on
page 13
Section
GLASS HOUSE
DC GlassWorks glassblowing is a public-access strong sense studio that fosters a of community. PAGE 4
Life&Times
Hyattsville of unused police collected dozens medications dents Sept. from resitime national25 as part of a firstprescription initiative to prevent drugs into the from wrong hands or falling Vol. the water 7 No. 10 entering supply. “I thought no one Hyattsvil to go out would of their want le’s Communit drugs,” way to said return Hyattsville Sgt. Chris Purvis, y Newspape police offi the lied the cer who donations. r talhe said, But by the end, October residents — anonymously had deposited By 2010 Paula Minaert – a total pounds (approximately of 8.8 tainers At a September ing and 60 conand a more than city council ing, several Hyattsville few bags of pills). ternoon 4,500 new peak-hour meetHyattsville af- recommendation Communications Manager held up based on vehicle residents yellow Abby Sandel current trips, signs that city is more traffi jected development. traffic and to lift that current said the open to read “No traffic restriction c” road’s proholding event in thoroughfare,”and “No commuter bound Nina Faye, during a similar the future traffi on westpeak hours, who lives hoping munity tention if there bury 43 rd Avenue c between Route continues if traffi to draw on Queensinterest. is comto what c there 1 and to at- tionedRoad, said that they call long-standing Spearheaded traffic hours. during peak provements increase and she questhe numbers serious morning if imto state Enforcement by the federal their streets. traffic problems presented layed. Cheri Fulton Sabra, roads are Drug Wang to on dehas lived by a number Agency and They bury since “One day the council in “Why July. facilitate I was [at 1987 and on Queensof national backed cent were worried forcement and 41 st in the effort community traffic about a was involved Queensbury traffic study law ] for six into my re- in from a ganizations,and public health en- tants done by Enter sign that led to the asked resident the afternoon. minutes at state Sabra, consul3:30 or- estimating being posted. Do Not Wang Day aimed National Take Margaret road?” And I traffic than that traffi the Sept. & Associates She said Hayes Back c on the 13 city they claimed saw more prescription to reduce the have more that city streets hour. now but street is Hugh Turley, council meeting.at in a halfrisk of is than 3,500 better will how If I can’t trust drugs sumed routinely still bad – and Life & Times a columnist being this number, new morncan I trust inappropriately. drivers conignore for the any tion drug the sign. Other bury, said, who lives on Another Prescripresidents of them?” abuse, Queenspoint of “One-way lem nationally, a growing questioned the recommendation contention even shouldn’t the Queensbury was goal a last resort.” be is a major probfor the DEA. for QueensburyHe believes to make focus one-way the An additional should westbound be to benefi take-back effort was t of the TRAFFIC unused continued prescription preventing on page 12 being drugs flushed from down the toilet,
Resident
s complai
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 43 Easton, MD 21601
DRUGS continued
on page
10
n about
traffic
Local knitter their pieces s and croche ters donate to Smiths onian exhibit
by Kara Rose Hyattsville Life & Times PO Box 132 Hyattsville, MD 20781
Beginning displayed Oct. 16, an unusual in the reef will Ocean Hall of be the National Museum of Natural tory. Various Hisknitters and crocheters,
including more than Tangled Skein, used 100 from Hyattsville’s to make yarn and A the reef. fibers of The Hyperbolic all sorts Crochet runs through Coral Reef exhibit April 24, Margaret 2011. and Christine Curators Wertheim, YARN continued
Included
: The October
6, 2010
Issue
of The
Hyattsvi
on page
13
Some of the pieces PHOTO BY residents CHRIS CURRIE handmade for the by Hyattsville Hyperbolic Reef, an exhibit Crochet opening later this Coral at the Smithsonian month.
lle Reporte
r — See
Center
Section
Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
Page 11
BIG GREEN TRUCK DAY
valerie russell On May 21, Big Green Truck Day at Magruder Park offered kids a chance to get behind the wheels of a variety of vehicles as the regular drivers, such as police and firefighters, showed them the ropes. The morning included face-painting and other children’s actvities.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
town hall
budget
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dential parking permit system. He also praised recent development in Hyattsville. “If you have not had an Elevation Burger yet, do so!” he urged, referring to one of the new businesses in The Shoppes at Arts District Hyattsville. “The first time I drove down Route 1 and saw people sitting outside at the tables … I almost got sentimental.” He invited constituents to stay afterwards to talk directly to the departments that could help them, whether their concerns were school boundaries, public safety, foreclosure help, potholes or trail access. He had arranged for representatives from various county agencies and nonprofits to be on hand. “I thought it was a good model for what we should be doing in our wards on a regular basis to let people know what’s going on and what our immediate priorities are,” said Hyattsville City Councilmember Shani Warner (Ward 2). The evening also included remarks by County Executive Rushern Baker. Baker touted his $50 million Economic Development Incentive Fund, a one-time investment that he said would attract new businesses and
ministrator Gregory Rose. Some budgetary savings were needed, Rose told the City Council in April, due to a 90 percent increase in workers compensation costs and other expenses at a time when city revenues are all but flat due to the sluggish economy. Revised budget numbers presented to the council on May 23 showed that even without a COLA, spending would still outpace revenues by $92,796. Whether to COLA or not has been a nationwide issue, as state and city governments grapple with budget deficits during uncertain economic times. But city workers have objected to the no COLA plan. “We work hard and provide needed services for the city,” one city staffer, Julia McTague, told the city council on May 23. McTague, flanked by six other city workers, explained that with higher benefit costs already being deducted from workers’ salaries, many staff are experiencing a 2 percent reduction in pay, which is especially difficult for those who have reached the top of their pay grade. About 10 percent of the city’s police force has reached the top of their pay grade and therefore no longer qualify for a pay increase and yet, “it costs more now than it did last year to heat our homes, to survive and put food on the table,” said Hyattsville Police Sgt. Patrick O’Hagan, president of the city’s chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police. “Obviously Hyattsville and other governments are going through a trying time,” he said.
susie currie County Councilmember Will Campos addresses a packed town hall meeting at Northwestern High School on June 2.
strengthen existing ones. “We have to grow our commercial tax base,” he told the crowd. “Our residents are taxed enough already.” Baker’s first term as county executive could also be described as taxing. He took office on December 6, faced with a $30 million deficit. His first two months on the job brought a homicide rate that averaged one a day at its height, as well as the busiest firefighting day since September 11, 2001. “There were seven major fires throughout the county in one day,” he said, shaking his head. “I told my staff that if locusts come, I’m leaving!” Just hours before the town hall
meeting began, the U.S. Attorney’s office released the latest twist in the drama of his predecessor, Jack Johnson: a third developer pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion, among other charges. Since his high-profile arrest by the FBI on November 12, Johnson has become the center of a widening corruption probe that centers on bribery, extortion and tampering with both evidence and witnesses. Names of his alleged conspirators began to trickle out on May 17, when Johnson pleaded guilty to two felonies as part of a plea deal. Federal prosecutors expect more charges in the case.
City workers received a 1 percent COLA in the 2011 fiscal budget and have generally seen COLAS of about 2 percent to 3 percent on average in recent years, according to City Treasurer Elaine Stookey. Clearly, Mayor Marc Tartaro agrees a modest COLA for fiscal 2012 is needed. “It’s something we need to do,” he said. He requested new budget calculations that included a 1 percent COLA in 2012. It showed that spending would outpace revenues by $153,151. At least one other city council member, Paula Perry of Ward 4, has also tipped her hand, in favor of a COLA for staff of up to 2 percent. The revised city budget unveiled on May 23 included the decision not to fund one additional police officer. That person would have been hired to oversee a speed camera system, but there has been no clear council on the city council, Rose said. In addition, the revised budget proposal called for a new policy fellow in communications in 2012 who would prepare documents on long-term projects for the council, and a part-time staffer for volunteer services. The revised budget proposal also contained several significant changes in capital spending, including: • Delaying the purchase of new trucks to await a fleet study • Deleting the purchase of a street sweeper • Moving street construction for University Hills to 2013 because the necessary engineering study won’t be ready for work to begin in 2012 • Adding $38,867 for closed circuit TV • Spending $32,000 instead of $15,000 for exterior renovations to the deteriorating building at Magruder Park The City Council is expected to adopt a 2012 budget on June 13.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
Page 13
The Hyattsville Area Elementary School site plan, with proposed changes in red.
school
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First, it has to get built. Construction is expected to begin this January. To have enough land to build, PGCPS needed adjoining property owners – the City of Hyattsville and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority – to abandon their respective rights-of-way. WMATA has already done so. But city officials hinged agreement on changing the site plan. As the HL&T reported in August 2009, the city council was opposed to the school’s original site plan because it called for all drivers to enter the campus from Nicholson Street – a one-lane residential street with parking on both sides. As recently as April 11, a PGCPS presen-
tation to the council still showed Nicholson Street as a school route. Finally, on May 31, councilmembers saw a plan they could live with. Paul Taylor, the school system’s director of planning and architectural services, unveiled a design that has all vehicular traffic coming in from the north. Other changes: widening the sidewalk from 4 to 6 feet, adding a third traffic lane that will separate buses from cars, adding a fence and landscape buffer to the parking lot, and installing a plaza bordering Nicholson Street. “What this plan does is make sure that people can get in and out fairly quickly. Traffic is separated in a way to prevent stacking up,” said Mayor Marc Tartaro, before the council voted unanimously to approve the request to vacate the rights-
of-way. Approval is contingent on a signed agreement from the school board that the proposed changes will indeed be made. During the meeting, Council President Matt McKnight (Ward 3) pointed out that the plaza might become a dropoff point. “Some people are going to drop off on Nicholson no matter what,” he said later. “But I think the new design will make doing so less inviting.” Also, he added, “we have to leave pedestrian access from Nicholson open somewhere for walkers.” Paula Perry represents Ward 4, where the school will be located. “As far as parents pulling up and dropping off, I’d like to make part of [Nicholson Street] no stopping or standing,” she said in an interview. Currently, Editors Park Drive also allows parking on both sides.
“We may have to limit that when it becomes the main vehicular route for two schools,” said Tartaro. “Maybe by getting rid of parking on that street, or only allowing it during certain hours.” The parking lot will be in roughly the same area it is now, adjacent to Nicholson Street. During the meeting, Perry called for more regulation during off hours. “I want the school; I know we need the school,” she said. “But I still have concerns about the parking lot. My residents have had to put up with music blaring from cars in the lot [in off hours] for a long time.” City Administrator Gregory Rose said that the agreement with the county would, if necessary, authorize Hyattsville police officers to enforce the city’s noise ordinance on school property.
THIS SUMMER, THE CITY OF HYATTSVILLE DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION & THE ARTS PRESENTS
MOVIES AT MAGRUDER, HEURICH & UNIVERSITY HILLS PARKS
Parents, mark your calendars - Hyattsville goes Hollywood! Four family-friendly flicks are headed to area parks in Summer 2011.
How to Train Your Dragon Friday, June 17 at 7:00 PM Heurich Park Ager Road & Nicholson Street
Shrek Forever After Friday, July 15 at 7:00 PM University Hills/Duck Pond Park 3400 Stanford Street (West End Wells Pkwy)
The Muppet Movie Friday, July 29 at 7:30 PM Magruder Park 40th Avenue & Hamilton Street
The Princess and the Frog All events are free and open to the Friday, August 19 at 7:30 PM public. Refreshments are available Magruder Park for sale. Bring your own blanket 40th Avenue & Hamilton Street or lawn chairs! Questions? Call 301/985-5020.
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Hyattsville Life & Times | June 2011
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