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City Hall plan under fire in College Park Council moves to rebuild on existing Knox Road site
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BY
ALICE POPOVICI STAFF WRITER
Some College Park residents are upset with city officials’ decision to rebuild City Hall in its existing location on Knox Road, in spite of repeated pleas to consider other sites. “I would suggest that you table this for at least a year,” said Jack Robson of College Park during a Nov. 25 City Council meeting, urging officials to do more research on possible sites and put a few options on a referendum. “... Let the voters select the site.” The city, which needs more space to accommodate staff and the community, according to a city report, has been considering two potential sites for the $8 million City Hall project: the site of the existing building on Knox Road and the site of a former school on Calvert Road. In the report, officials cited “no room for expansion of services,” “overcrowded conditions” and “no outdoor public space” among reasons for the expansion. Robson was among seven people who addressed city officials on Nov. 25 — some as representatives
See COLLEGE PARK, Page A-7 TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
People walk from store to store at Towne Centre at Laurel on Black Friday. See more Black Friday coverage on A-4.
‘A voice for the immigrant community’ First two Hispanic members sworn in Monday n
BY JAMIE
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ANFENSON-COMEAU
Eisenhower Middle School looking for sixth principal in two years BY JAMIE
STAFF WRITER
As one of the Prince George’s County’s school board’s first Hispanic members, Dinora Hernandez (Dist. 3) of Hyattsville hopes to bring a new perspective to the board. “Lupi [Grady] and I will be the first Latinas on the board,” Hernandez said, “And having that different insight will definitely benefit the board.” Hernandez and Lupi Grady (Dist. 2) of College Park were sworn in Monday as the board’s newest members. They are also the board’s first
See ELECTION, Page A-7
‘Students are going haywire’ ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER
JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU/THE GAZETTE
Lupi Grady of College Park is sworn into office, accompanied by her husband, Darryl Grady, and children, Isabella and Santana Grady.
Some parents of students at Eisenhower Middle School say repeated changes in the school’s leadership has led to a lack of consistent discipline that has thrown the Laurel school into chaos. “The students are going haywire; they’re doing as they please. It’s just one big party,” said Ramona Moyer of Laurel, parent of a student at the school. “When my daughter tells me she’s afraid to go to school, that’s a problem.” Dwight Jefferson, who became acting principal
See PRINCIPAL, Page A-7
City of Laurel to begin drainage pipe project on Dorset Road n
Public hearing scheduled Dec. 10, officials say BY
ALICE POPOVICI STAFF WRITER
Roadwork is scheduled to begin on Dorset Road in Laurel starting next week, as the city begins repair work on drainage pipes beneath the roadway, officials said.
Woodbine Drive, is about a quarter of a mile long. A public hearing to discuss the road improvement project is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Laurel Municipal Center, 8103 Sandy Spring Road. On Nov. 7, the city issued a weight restriction prohibiting vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds from traveling on the part of the road after discovering two crumbling drainage
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Robert Ferree, the city’s director of public works, said he expects the $110,000 pipe repair project to begin by Dec. 8, weather permitting. He said the work is not expected to last more than two months, depending on weather conditions. The City Council approved funding for the repairs during a Nov. 24 meeting. The portion of Dorset Road where the work will take place, between Old Sandy Spring Road and
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BRAIN POWER
Magnolia Elementary School advances in Science Bowl.
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pipes under the roadway, officials said. “The water was undermining the earth under these pipes,” said Marty Flemion, the city’s deputy administrator and director of emergency services. “It’s eroding the structural subbase and causing the pipes to fail.” City officials said the problem was discovered as the city began looking into building sidewalks and a curb on this portion of the road to make it safer for residents of nearby Brookmill Con-
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dominiums to navigate. Linda Foster, who has lived at Brookmill Condominiums on Dorset Road since 1988, welcomed the news that the city plans to begin repair work. “It has to be fixed. It’s constantly in need of repair,” Foster said. “It’s used by so many heavy trucks.” City officials said Dorset Road was built in the late 1960s or early 1970s. apopovici@gazette.net