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SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNT Y DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Thursday, April 30, 2015
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Amputees turn loss to emotional gain County responds to Baltimore violence n
Second annual event promotes awareness, acceptance in county BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
Brendan Thompson, 22, of Bowie is not an amputee, but said limb loss is almost a part of who he is — his mother wears a prosthetic arm, a difference that has made him more accepting of others. On Saturday, Thompson walked the Limb Loss Awareness 5K at Laurel High School, an event organized to empower amputees and connect them to recreational resources that can improve their rehabilitation. “It’s kind of cool to come out here and learn from other people, how they deal with their situations,” Thompson said. “You can get not only inspiration but also support from other people.” The event’s organizer, Lisa Willis, 47, of Laurel put on her first Limb Loss Awareness 5K last year. A fitness instructor whose foot was amputated in 2012 due to a blood clot, Willis said she was inspired to start the event after she earned a physical therapy scholarship from the Amputee Coalition, a nonprofit that supports survivors of limb loss. Willis said she wanted to encourage survivors to improve their mobility even after they complete rehabilitation by promoting recreational activities, such as walks and sports clinics for amputees. “There’s just something about seeing an amputee walking for the first time, it encourages others to do that as well,” Willis said. “If they can do it, I can do it, too.” Survivors and supporters who organized last year’s walk formed the Amputee Recreational Support Group, which connects support groups in Baltimore and in the Washington, D.C., metro area with physical fitness opportunities. The group raises money for the Amputee Coalition and donated $295 to the nonprofit after Saturday’s 5K. Twenty-two people participated in this year’s Limb Loss Awareness 5K while more than a dozen supporters rooted them on. The turnout was low compared to last year, when 49 people walked, because the group got a late start promoting the event, Willis said. After Joe Burdette, 60, of Boyds lost his leg in 2014, he said he felt too depressed to go out in public. But his doctors convinced him to participate in the walk last year at Laurel Lakes, a decision he said immediately improved his outlook. “Since it did so much for me last year, I figured I’d come down here and see if I can help someone else,” Burdette said. Abigail Gregory, 55, of Silver Spring lost her right arm and both her legs in 2011 but has gained much of her mobility back, as she can make solo shopping trips and
See 5K, Page A-8
Prince George’s officials, community leaders say police relations are improving n
BY
STAFF WRITER
In the wake of destructive behavior instigated by the death of Baltimore resident Freddie Gray, Prince George’s County officials and community leaders are emphasizing improving relations between residents and county police departments. Gray died April 19 from a spinal cord injury sustained while in Baltimore Police custody. Peaceful protests over the weekend escalated into violence Monday afternoon as people assaulted officers, set fire to police vehicles and looted businesses. Prince George’s police officers were sent to Baltimore to assist the city’s law enforcement Monday afternoon, according to Lt. Jarriel Jordan, a county police spokesman. Two Prince George’s County Police Department officers protecting the perimeter of Mondawmin Mall sustained minor injuries Monday after they were hit with objects, possibly bottles or rocks, Jordan said. Eight fire engines, two ladder trucks and 55 career and volunteer firefighters were deployed to Baltimore early Tuesday morning to help put out fires both resulting from and unrelated to the protests, said Mark Brady, spokesman for the county fire department.
See BALTIMORE, Page A-7
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
Natalie Pickett of Bowie leads a Zumba warmup Saturday as Abigail Gregory of Silver Spring follows along before the second Limb Loss Awareness 5K at Laurel High School.
Bowie instructor named ‘Teacher of the Year’ Tulip Grove veteran recognized at annual banquet n
BY JAMIE
ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER
As a college freshman, Renee Roth said she hadn’t imagined she’d go into education. More than 30 years later, the teacher from Tulip Grove Elementary School in Bowie said she can’t imagine doing anything else.
“I love teaching, especially teaching elementary,” Roth said. “The kids keep you on your toes, every day is different, my colleagues Roth are wonderful and there’s nothing else I’d rather do.” Roth of Pasadena was named Prince George’s County Public
Schools’ 2015 Teacher of the Year at a banquet held April 23 at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt. Roth was selected from a field of 16 nominees for Teacher of the Year. The runner-up was Dana Olfus, a seventh-grade reading and language arts teacher at Benjamin Tasker Middle School in Bowie. The other two finalists were Samantha Kornegay, a fifth- and sixth-grade math teacher at Allenwood Elementary in Temple Hills, and Kimberly Wilson, an eighth-grade reading and language
arts teacher at Accokeek Academy. As Teacher of the Year, Roth received $1,000 for classroom supplies, an overnight stay at the Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor, a $100 gift certificate and a widescreen television, all donated by program sponsors. Roth will also compete against representatives from Maryland’s other 23 school districts for the title of 2015-16 Maryland Teacher of the Year, to be announced in the fall.
Appointee fills spot held by predecessor for more than 34 years BY
DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER
After losing their longtime rector of more than 34 years, the flock at St. Barnabas Anglican/Episcopal
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Church in Upper Marlboro needed a new leader whose Sunday sermons “could uplift [the congregation] for at least a week so that we could go about our normal lives,” said senior warden Linda Crudup of Upper Marlboro. When the Rev. Lawrence Harris retired in 2011, St. Barnabas relied on interim reverends and “supply priest” fill-ins like Pastor Robyn
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Franklin-Vaughn, who filled in as a temporary priest during an Easter vigil last year. Her inclusive style “generated an immediate buzz” within the church, said junior warden Pete Stark of Annapolis, yet she was not included on the initial list of more than a dozen candidates for Harris’ replacement. “The light bulb did not happen with the candidates that were inter-
LIFELONG DREAM 95-year-old Lanham resident pens 900 poems.
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Bowie mulls sportsplex, body cameras Proposed $23 million facility stalls as city officials search for location
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BY
DEREK JOHNSON STAFF WRITER
viewed,” said Richard Medlock of Mitchellville, who sits on the vestry at St. Barnabas. Someone offhandedly mentioned Franklin-Vaughn, who was serving as a pastor at Howard University, and within 30 seconds the vestry agreed to bring her in for the interview process. “We were looking first of all for
Bowie officials are finalizing details on a $50.8 million proposed budget including body cameras for the police department and a $23 million indoor sports facility before the City Council approves the fiscal 2016 plan later in May. The Bowie Police Department saw a notable bump in its overall budget from last year, from $8.6 million in FY 2015 to a proposed $10 million in funding. Deputy police chief Dwayne Preston attributed the bulk of the increase to requests for three new officers, a nonemergency call center and $70,000 in funding for body cameras designed to capture/record police officers interactions with the public while on duty. Like many state and local governments across the country, Bowie has earmarked funds to equip its police force with body cameras. Preston characterized the move as “proactive,” and said the department was proceeding cautiously until legislation that recently passed the Maryland General Assembly governing body cameras becomes law. Preston said the legisla-
See REVEREND, Page A-8
See BUDGET, Page A-8
See TEACHER, Page A-8
New Upper Marlboro reverend prepares to uplift n
KIRSTEN PETERSEN
Volume 18, No. 15, Two sections, 20 Pages Copyright © 2015 The Gazette Please
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