FINAL EDITION
NEWS: Mount Rainier city manager stepping down from post. A-6
The Gazette PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNT Y
NEWS: Stone Elementary School turns focus to safety measures. A-4
DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Thursday, June 18, 2015
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‘This is such a shock to our community’ n Prince George’s residents react, reflect on Gazette shutdown
To our readers In 1959, Rockville resident Earle Hightower rolled the first Gazette off the presses. Today, we publish the final edition. We are forever grateful for 56 years of support from Gazette readers and advertisers. As journalists, it has been our duty, indeed our imperative, to expose both the good works and the machinations of government and industry, and to encourage debate as to which was which. As a community newspaper, it also has been our mission, indeed our passion, to expose the ordinary as extraordinary
BY JEFFREY K. LYLES STAFF WRITER
Brooke Kidd, executive director of Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mount Rainier, said she could always count on The Gazette covering the dance studio’s milestone anniversaries and events. While The Gazette, which published its final edition this week, won’t be on hand to celebrate Joe’s 20th anniversary Oct. 17, Kidd said the community newspapers’ contributions would not be forgotten. “I was very sad to hear about the shutdown,” Kidd said. “The Gazette has provided extraordinary coverage for community events and entertainment and has offered really great coverage of the arts. It validated our service to the community and helped to share the story of our impact.” Post Community Media, the parent company of The Gazette, announced Friday that The Gazette newspapers in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties will close, with 84 employees losing their jobs. Executives cited “declining advertising revenue” in an announcement,
KIRSTEN PETERSEN/THE GAZETTE
The Laurel office of The Gazette newspapers on its final week of publication.
Business Roundtable. “[The Gazettes] were essentially the only people giving comprehensive coverage to what was going on in the county. It’s really going to be missed.” Denise Hamler of Cottage City recalled when she and other Port Towns Community Development Corp. members
lishing Group, while Whip It Media is purchasing Fairfax County Times in Virginia. “It’s terrible. We’re losing a community newspaper that’s given us better coverage than anyone else in the area, including its sister publication,” said M.H. Jim Estepp, president/CEO of the Greater Prince George’s
and were unsuccessful in finding a buyer to purchase the Prince George’s and Montgomery County editions. The Gazette initially formed in 1959. PCM was able to sell Southern Maryland Newspapers, which includes The EnquirerGazette, and PCM military publications to The Adams Pub-
and partners approached Gazette executives in 1998 about expanding to cover the Port Towns of Bladensburg, Colmar Manor, Cottage City and neighboring communities of Brentwood, Mount Rainier and North Brentwood. “We told them we really needed a voice to communicate and celebrate what was going on in our neighborhoods. I remember how excited we all were when we saw that first is-
— a fundraiser for an ill child, a centenarian’s surprise birthday party. As members of the communities we have served, we’ve been privileged to mentor students, honor educators with our My Favorite Teacher contest and encourage readers to stay fit with The Gazette Healthy Challenge program. Over the years, working with nonprofits, we’ve helped to promote volunteerism, support the arts and feed the hungry. It is our greatest hope that in doing these things, we’ve served you well. sue,” Hamler said. “Since then, it has always been an integral part of our community. This is such a shock to our community. This is a hundred steps backwards in the community in terms of us being knowledgeable of what’s going on.” Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker recalled the benefits of a community paper as he attempted to make his
See SHOCK, Page A-10
Family marks 10 years since slaying Council spikes n
Laurel stabbing death remains unsolved
BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
It’s been more than 10 years since Shirley Bell rode the bus past the Laurel Armory and caught a glimpse of her son, Brian Moses, playing basketball
said. “To this day that’s never happened.” Bell said Moses was in Laurel’s Grove neighborhood on Sept. 15, 2005 when he was stabbed. He tried to drive himself home, but crashed the car near the Laurel Municipal Center, Bell said. She said her son lived
Roberson is the same age Moses was in 2005 when he was fatally stabbed in the chest in Laurel. His death remains unsolved, but his friends and family still celebrate his life by gathering around his favorite sport. “The last thing I did say to my child before he passed is, ‘I will find out who did this to you and bring him to justice,’” Bell
in the gym. On Saturday, it was her 20-year-old grandson, Brandon Roberson, who she saw bounding up and down the court in a jersey printed with the nickname, “Lil Dro,” in honor of his late uncle. “Every time I’m in the gym I feel like he’s running with me,” Roberson said. “He’s my wingman.”
Funding throughout town departments reduced for fiscal 2016 BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
Cottage City residents may not see major repairs on Town Hall or as many fulltime employees hired next year, but they
could get invited to a couple more block parties, all as a result of significant expense changes beginning in fiscal 2016. The budget, which passed unanimously June 10, totals $1,512,945. To balance revenues with expenditures, the town must appropriate $174,845 from the fund balance. This is $236,456 less than the amount of money the board of commissioners anticipated drawing in FY 2015, $411,301,
Court battle is ‘next step’ on spending plan n
BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU
See MURDER, Page A-8
Cottage City opts for ‘realistic’ budget n
exec budget veto
although Commissioner Demetrius Givens (at large) said closer to $300,000 actually was pulled. “Although we have to take from the general fund, what we are proposing is a much more realistic budget than last year’s,” said Commissioner Chair Abel Núñez (Ward 1).
See REALISTIC, Page A-10
STAFF WRITER
In a hastily scheduled latenight session Tuesday, the Prince George’s County Council voted 8-0 to override the county executive’s budget veto, and the matter will likely be decided in court. “The county attorney [M. Andree Green] was very clear that she considers the budget illegal, and so the next step is to go to litigation,” said Scott Peterson, spokesman for Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D). County Council Chairman
Students plant grass to aid Adelphi school Eroding hillsides lead to flooded playgrounds, sediment in stream
n
BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER
Students at an Adelphi elementary school are learning
about the environment while also improving the environment around the building. Since 2013, Mary Harris “Mother” Jones Elementary School has been working with North East-based environmental education nonprofit NorthBay Adventure on issues relating to erosion on the property. The erosion has also impacted the school property, said
INDEX
water will come in and form a deep pool.” Last year, students took water samples to evaluate the health of a nearby stream that feeds into the Anacostia River, finding a high degree of sediments and low biodiversity, Jeffers said. Daksha Patel, NorthBay’s
JAMIE ANFENSONCOMEAU/THE GAZETTE
See GRASS, Page A-10
SPORTS B-10 A-2 B-8 B-5 A-11 B-1
ONCE MORE, WITH PRIDE KEN SAIN SPORTS EDITOR
The Gazette’s sports editor reflects on his career in newspapers and shares his thoughts on the future of community journalism. B-1
Volume 18, No. 25, Two sections, 24 Pages Copyright © 2015 The Gazette Please
RECYCLE
See VETO, Page A-9 Hender SanchezHernandez, a fifth-grade student at Mary Harris “Mother” Jones Elementary School in Adelphi, places a plant June 9 in a raised garden bed at the school.
Our Ladies Night Out event has been
CANCELLED!
GAZ LADIESNIGHTOUT FRONT
Automotive Calendar Classified Entertainment Opinion Sports
Karen Riley Jeffers, the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, coordinator. “This hillside is pretty bare,” said Jeffers, pointing to a ridge surrounding the playground in back of the school. “What tends to happen in this area, when we have heavy rain, or even just a little bit, we can’t use this area for a couple days because the
Mel Franklin (D-Dist. 9) of Upper Marlboro said in a statement emailed after the vote that the county executive’s threat of litigation was an effort to force the council to impose a tax increase. “The stunning prospect of the County Executive essentially suing this Council, and thus the nearly 900,000 residents we represent, would be self-destructive, self-defeating and irresponsible, especially given the major economic opportunities this county is pursuing,” Franklin said in the statement. On Monday, Baker announced his veto of the County Council’s approved budget because it violated the county charter, claiming he was legally obligated to do so.
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