UNANIMOUS DECISION County bans substance harmful to aquatic life. A-5
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Gazette-Star SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNT Y
SPORTS: Bowie High shifts the balance in county’s fledging lacrosse competition. B-1
DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Thursday, April 23, 2015
25 cents
Fiscal 2016 budget
County looking at $20M loss in state school funding Equivalent to 300 teaching positions, CEO says
graphic Cost of Education Index, or GCEI, a discretionary formula that provides additional funding for more urban, high poverty school districts with higher education costs at 100 percent. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has said he will not release funds beyond 50 percent of the GCEI. Montgomery and Prince George’s counties benefit the most from the GCEI. “He could still decide to appropriate that money. That would be a wonderful surprise,” Tobias said during the school board’s April 16 meeting. “The Legislature cannot force the governor to spend that money. It is discretionary spending.” Tobias said the governor has given no indication that he would do so, however. “He may have a change of heart,” Tobias said. “But I’m not
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BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER
The Prince George’s County Public School system is looking at an approximately $20 million reduction in expected state funding as part of the fallout of the 2015 General Assembly session. School system CEO Kevin Maxwell said a $20 million reduction is the equivalent of 300 teaching positions. “That’s not saying we’ll cut 300 teachers, that’s just what $20 million looks like,” Maxwell said. Demetria Tobias, the school system’s Annapolis lobbyist, reported April 16 that the General Assembly voted to fund the Geo-
Bowie girl fights against childhood obesity n
Youth organized her third Fun Run and Fitness event BY RAECINE WILLIAMS SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE
See LOSS, Page A-8
Baker pitches education funding plan to public n
FROM JUNE EVANS
Jodi Evans (left), 11, of Bowie competes Saturday in a tug-of-war with help from a girl who attended Evans’ third annual Fun Run and Fitness event for children at Bowie High School.
Top official says county can’t rely on state for more money
erty values to go up. That doesn’t happen without great schools, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying,” Baker said to a gathering of approximately 80 people April 14 at Capitol Heights Elementary School. “This isn’t a tax increase, it’s an investment.” The community meeting was the first of six scheduled throughout April and May. Baker is pursuing public support for his proposed budget, which includes property and telecommunications tax hikes expected to provide an additional $133 million for the school system above the current year
BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER
A better educational system doesn’t come without a cost, County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) told Prince George’s County residents at a community meeting. In this case, the cost is increased taxes to fund an additional $133 million over last year’s school funding. “Everyone wants their prop-
See BAKER, Page A-8
Jodi Evans of Bowie is out to change the nation’s statistics on childhood obesity, starting with the children in her own backyard. Saturday made the third year the 12-year-old hosted her Fun Run and Fitness event, which invited children age 5 to 16 to participate in a day of exercise, games and entertainment with their families.
“It’s just another event that people can have fun at, with an important message to send out that I believe everyone will receive,” Jodi said as children of varying ages completed laps around the track of Bowie High School behind her. “We are just trying to fight childhood obesity in the safest and healthiest way possible, which is getting more exercise, eating healthier foods and not staying on diets,” she said. “Because truly, to me, that’s not the answer.” Jodi herself is no stranger to an active lifestyle. The student at Robert Goddard French Immersion School in Greenbelt is an
avid dancer and a three-year junior Olympic champion in Taekwondo, who often spent upwards of 18 hours a week training. “It was a sport that I was always good at,” Jodi said. “I really enjoy it.” Besides the exercise and activities, which included an obstacle course, games of tag and mini competitions, Jodi also organized a healthy cooking demonstration, with the help of Howard County-based Healthy Little Cooks, complete with giveaways to allow participants to make some of the foods on their own.
See OBESITY, Page A-8
Bowie’s historic Governor’s Bridge closes again Crossing initially cut off in 2013 due to structural concerns n
BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
Bowie resident Bill Wilson frequently travels to Anne Arundel County using Governor’s Bridge, a one-lane historic crossing over the Patuxent River.
But since the bridge closed last month, Wilson said he must take the long way around via Md. routes 50 and 424. This isn’t the first time Wilson has had to adjust his route — the bridge only reopened a year ago after 10 months of structural repairs. Now, residents are divided on whether Governor’s Bridge should continue carrying traffic. “It’s an inconvenience, but we learn to live with it,” Wilson
said. Governor’s Bridge, which was erected sometime between 1907 and 1912, closed in May 2013 after problems with the underpinnings were discovered, said Paulette Jones, a spokeswoman for the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation. The bridge reopened last March, Jones said. During a regular six-month inspection of the bridge last
month, structural issues were identified with the truss, the load-bearing element of the crossing that looks like a series of triangles, Jones said. It will take two months minimum for department officials to analyze the problem and determine the feasibility of repairs, Jones said. “Their main priority is they want to ensure that it’s safe,”
See BRIDGE, Page A-8
Residents: Upper Marlboro Town Hall too pricey Renovation and addition estimated at $1.23 million
could cost nearly twice as much as town officials want to spend. Sketches of a 4,200-squarefoot Town Hall were presented by Rob Manns, the principal architect of White Marsh-based Manns Woodward Studios, during the Upper Marlboro town meeting April 13. The plans suggest converting the current Town Hall to the police department and building an addition with offices
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BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
Upper Marlboro residents say they’re reeling from sticker shock after seeing plans for a $1.23 million Town Hall renovation and addition, a project that
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and a meeting room that would seat 40. Steve Sonnett, president of the Upper Marlboro board of commissioners, said a renovation is necessary because the current building is energy inefficient and does not have enough office space for town business. He added that the Town Hall, which is approximately 1,677 square feet, is too small to entice town
CELEBRATING OUR WORLD More than 230 attend Bowie Earth Day concert.
A-4
Christ Community Church 1925 Mitchellville Rd Bowie, Md. 20721
organizations or out-of-town groups to hold events there, Sonnett said. “If we had a little bit better space we could start generating more interest by the community,” Sonnett said. “They would have a place to meet and integrate themselves into the sense of being part of the town.”
See HALL, Page A-8
Volume 18, No. 14, Two sections, 20 Pages Copyright © 2015 The Gazette Please
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